Why the long faces about Houllier?

[Gaztonniller]

Where is there any suggestion that Houllier is being appointed as a Director of Football?  They are looking fo a manager. I have no problem with Houllier he's been around the block and he's famous for bringing through good young players, why do you think Arsene likes him so much? Give him a whirl I say.

Where is there any suggestion that Houllier is being appointed as a Director of Football?  They are looking fo a manager. I have no problem with Houllier he's been around the block and he's famous for bringing through good young players, why do you think Arsene likes him so much? Give him a whirl I say.

Its the potential appointment of him being only a DoF or technical director thats a problem for me.

Just such a shit way of doing things IMO, i'd almost rather Curbishley than that.

according to some report i was reading apparently he's being blamed in france for the downfall of french football

Its the potential appointment of him being only a DoF or technical director thats a problem for me.

Just such a shit way of doing things IMO, i'd almost rather Curbishley than that.

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according to some report i was reading apparently he's being blamed in france for the downfall of french football

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How do you get blamed for the downfall of french football then get awarded the Légion d'honneur for his services to French football ??

[Marlon's Hairy Wood]

[quoteauthor=Gaztonniller
How do you get blamed for the downfall of french football then get awarded the Légion d'honneur for his services to French football ??
[/quote]

don't shoot the messenger!

Was just saying that on a report(can't remember which now, but it wasn't a tribalfootball sort) it said that people in france were blaming him for having a hand in french football downfall. Could be bollocks for all i know.

[Gaztonniller]

Aint shooting the messenger, just asking a question to what seems a bit of a puzzling contradiction.

[TheTimVilla]

I hope MHW is wrong, so there'll be loads of French people becoming Villa fans!

[Michel Sibble]

don't shoot the messenger!

Was just saying that on a report(can't remember which now, but it wasn't a tribalfootball sort) it said that people in france were blaming him for having a hand in french football downfall. Could be bollocks for all i know.

THIS seems to suggest otherwise:

Hourrafoot article
No doubt that the reader of this article would be extremely revolted. Accuse us for being spoilsports or taking an extreme dislike to our current technical director, and you would be right. But the balls with which Gérard Houllier washed his hands of all responsibility of what we call "the Blues Fiasco" (World Cup failure to qualify 1994) gives one an ulcer.

Houllier is his own enigma. How a club like Liverpool had confidence in him for five years after he eliminated France from the World Cup in 1994?

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It goes on to say he is seen as the untouchable in French football, despite his failures with the Bleus and lists 30 managers more worthier than him.

The Mirror labeled him "the vainest man in football".

Enjoy!

[JJ-AV]

Bilic was my choice, but that's only because he'd have made us hated ala Mourinho at Chelsea. He's got that arrogant swagger about him which I like.

I'd have been happy with Sven or Klinsmann. McLeish too.

But on relfection I'm pretty happy, he's got a wealth of knowledge has won shedloads and is capable of bringing on our youth and using his contacts to bring in a transfer coup or two.

Keep MON's good work going with a few bits of fine tuning ready for a long term manager when he becomes available.

Do wish we'd have got a more charismatic figure though.

[PaulWinch again]

As I say all this criticism is largely historical stuff, so maybe he has changed since then. He must have impressed the Board, and I'm sure they wouldn't be looking for another ego maniacal manager.

[not3bad]

Houllier manager with Kmac as assistant would be a pretty good team I reckon.

[Reality]

He deserves a shot. Who else is available?

[Monty]

He's blamed for the downfall of French football by those who bemoan Clairefontaine for its supposed production of 'identikit' players, as opposed to the days of Platini, Tigana, Fernandez and Giresse. This is a ridiculous myth of course, because all Clairefontaine has done has raise the standards of the less talented players. The likes of Gourcuff and Nasri still get through the system fine. Houiller is an unquestionably important figure for the good in the history of French football.

[BannedUserIAT]

Given that he'd (quoting from Liverpool fans) done a job of dragging the red scouse into a modern age of football and won silverware all whilst having the on-going issues with Evans (I can only imagine that that would hold a club back significantly), maybe he's not such a bad appointment. He's probably forgotten more about European players and tactics than MoN has actually ever known. That can't be a bad thing.

The big concern is that many Villa fans are terribly wound up at the moment and the first sign of a mistake will be jumped on and highlighted to a degree that is simply not warranted.

Whoever comes in - even it was Mourinho - is going to need time. Time to re-build confidence, time to rebuild the team, time to bring in some much needed technique. I fear that there are few managers who will be afforded this if the current climate of 'school-holiday H&V' is anything to go by.

[Caiphus]

I think the fears that we would be going for an unambitious or cheap appointment can be put away.

[Simba]

I am going to abstain from commenting on potential managers until I see who gets the job.

Perhaps you should have abstained from telling us that.

Anyway, how can you comment on "potential" managers after someone has the job??  Well? 

[Concrete John]

I’ve been off the site for a few days, so apologies if any of the following has already been discussed, but here’s my take on it all:-

I see Houllier as an ‘OK’ appointment.  He did well at Liverpool up to a point, with a good amount of money to spend, but then couldn’t really finish the job off.  Not dissimilar to MON for us, but with the obvious difference that he won a few trophies along the way.  His transfer record would suggest we’ll see the foreign players a lot have been crying out for, but then he was also a bit ‘hit and miss’ as well.

Footballing style is another thing a lot want to see changed.  From memory his Liverpool sides were built arounf the defence and not overly expansive or brilliant on the eye, so I don’t think we’ll see much of a transformation here. 

When he took the Liverpool job he appointed that big nosed scouse idiot to be his right hand man ad a link between him and the players.  It was also a good PR exercise in keeping the fans onside by having a ‘Liverpool man’ around to at least give the impression that the club’s traditions were being respected.  I think K-Mac is ideally placed to be that man, should Houller get the job.     

His greatest achievement seems to have been the way he rebuilt the French academy system, which nurtured players like Henry and Anelka.  We already have a good youth system, so maybe his task in this regard is to expand on what we already have by mixing in foreign kids also, so as to give us something similar to what we’re seeing at Arsenal?

One major concern I have is his age – 63 and having spent 6 years out of the manager’s chair.  I think it was the General who said we’re looking for ‘the’ manager and not just ‘a’ manager, but I can’t see him doing the job in 5 years time.  If his brief is to oversee the club expanding it’s youth and scouting policy to a more European/worldwide scope, whilst maintaining a strong top 6 finish, then move aside for a younger manager to benefit from that in 3 years time, that would seem to a logical and good idea.

Ultimately though, will he do any better than Martin with the same players and/or money to spend?  I’m not convinced he will.  It’ll be different, but I don’t think it’ll be any better results wise.

So, he gets my backing, as any new manager would, and I’ll be interested to see what he brings to us and if it’s enough to push us over that 4th place line in a year or two!     

[pablopicasso_10]

im really starting to come round to the idea...

having seen a few liverpool fans views over at the likes of rawk, etc, apart from the ones who dont like him for what he said about ginola (?) and benitez, most seem to have very fond memories of him, especially for progressing them in terms of league placings and trophies, and also with their training...

this season aside, as for me, it will be transitional season due to the purposeful timing of o'neill chucking his toys, if he can steady the ship, and then as i mentioned, help bring in his european scouting contacts and knoweldge and contacts at the clairefontaine academy, then that can only help us in the long term...

bad football aside, as we are used to that under o'neill, if he can get results and move us further than 6th and a cup run or two, then he will be considered a success.. and with his age and health issues, then i cant see it being a long term appointment, and if he can leaves us in a stronger position than when he arrived, like he did with liverpool (not expecting the same amount of trophies etc), but as long as he can leave us in a stronger position both on and off the pitch than when he arrived, then job done, and maybe then, we can bring in someone younger and more exciting, like a martin jol, etc...

the timing of o'neill jumping ship, really did make this hunt even harder than it would have been had he had the decency to leave at the end of last season... so for that, houllier really wont be a bad appointment...

i am not jumping for joy, however, by simply having a european scouting system, then that will improve us off the pitch instantly...