Why the long faces about Houllier?

[Olneythelonely]

Can someone take the Devil's Advocate job of Hilts please, it's tedious.

[hilts_coolerking]

Well, who was available? We'll never know who was approached, wasn't approached, turned us down, asked for too much money or whatever. So all you can do is judge Houllier on his own merits, not relative to those on some assumed list of who was available.

Like I say, as a stop gap he's okay. Anything longer-term than that and I'm not so sure.

[hilts_coolerking]

Can someone take the Devil's Advocate job of Hilts please, it's tedious.

Swap you for your no less tedious 'foaming at the mouth, burn the heretics' job.

[Irreverent ad]

Moxley on Twitter says it is a 3 year deal for GH

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

When MON became our manager, the whole country took note. Every fan in the country thought he was a great manager and would've had them as their manager without doubt (except Man Utd/Arsenal/Chelsea, but they would've loved him after their manager at the time had left).

Now, we're appointing a manager whereby the whole country is thinking, "oh, how interesting...yawn".

It's not an exciting appointment, so I think this is why the long face.

However, my opinion, having been disgusted with the idea of him managing us, is beginning to change having researched him and found out a bit more.

But, it still doesn't hide the fact that it's not the sort of manager anyone was really hoping for.

[Toronto Villa]

I honestly couldn't care less what everyone else thinks about us. I only care about Villa and what Houllier will do as manager over the next 2 or 3 years. They'll be talking about us enough if we win things.

[The Situation]

However, my opinion, having been disgusted with the idea of him managing us, is beginning to change having researched him and found out a bit more.

Woah, hold on there buddy, you had been 'disgusted' with the idea of someone who has won numerous cups and trophies and lead Liverpool to their best league position in a long time? Fair enough if you were 'annoyed' or whatever with us appointing Houllier, but to be disgusted?! Oh heavens, what have you done Randy, who the fcuk is this frog Houllier, has he ever managed in England, has he ever won anything? Where's my Mourinho!

[stevenjos]

How much does he like Heskey? :0)

[garyshawsknee]

We've backed worser managers in the past,so he's got to be giving a chance by us,though I, like most, never so this coming.

[Mac]

I have to say though that in any of the interminable "I think we need a better manager than O'Neill / Okay who do you suggest then?" threads, had anyone suggested Gerard Houllier as a replacement they would have laughed off the board. So I have to take this sudden enthusiasm for him with a pinch of salt, coinciding as it does with him apparently getting the job.

The difference is, surely, that those polls were in the context of MON leaving at a time when it suited us, rather than at the worst time possible.

That's bound to have a major impact on the range of replacements available, and as a result, i don't think that is a fair comparison.

If Houllier had been suggested as a replacement for MON then yes, it would have seemed ridiculous.   However, from where we were when MON walked out he seems the best of the options.

[villa for life]

Yes, agree. Houllier wouldn't have been in my top hundred potential managers for Aston Villa before MON.

However, sometimes you are in the right place at the right time though and that's happened to him.

He's a bloody lucky bugger to have got the job, not us for having him.

[Dazvillain]

I think the attached article deserves a read...i feel a little more comfortable with him now. Also, Gary McAllister would be a good no.2 i feel to leave Kev Mac with the kids again, what he does best

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/09/why_houllier_deserves_respect.html

[Bosco81]

Well, who was available? We'll never know who was approached, wasn't approached, turned us down, asked for too much money or whatever. So all you can do is judge Houllier on his own merits, not relative to those on some assumed list of who was available.

Like I say, as a stop gap he's okay. Anything longer-term than that and I'm not so sure.

I agree with you that there are a lot of unanswered questions, is the reason why we couldn't attract a current  manager because of the new guidelines and spending restrictions in place, that to me must be the reason why we couldn't poach the likes of Jol, Moyes or even McLeish, either that or the board are out of their depth when it comes to hiring a manager.

GH has got a good track record if a little in the past, did George Graham not get his CV in on time, being better than Alan Curbishley is not a ringing endorsement.

I see Southampton are trying to poach Scunthorpe's manager, I wonder why they can do it but we can't.

NB Not that I wanted Nigel Adkins as manager, just an example

[andyh]

That Mcnulty piece on the BBC is a great read.
I believe we have a good 'un' in Houllier and I for one can't wait for him to get started.

[Olneythelonely]

Well, who was available? We'll never know who was approached, wasn't approached, turned us down, asked for too much money or whatever. So all you can do is judge Houllier on his own merits, not relative to those on some assumed list of who was available.

Like I say, as a stop gap he's okay. Anything longer-term than that and I'm not so sure.

I agree with you that there are a lot of unanswered questions, is the reason why we couldn't attract a current  manager because of the new guidelines and spending restrictions in place, that to me must be the reason why we couldn't poach the likes of Jol, Moyes or even McLeish, either that or the board are out of their depth when it comes to hiring a manager.

GH has got a good track record if a little in the past, did George Graham not get his CV in on time, being better than Alan Curbishley is not a ringing endorsement.

I see Southampton are trying to poach Scunthorpe's manager, I wonder why they can do it but we can't.

NB Not that I wanted Nigel Adkins as manager, just an example

It's probably easier to poach Scunthorpe's manager than it is the manager of Ajax/Everton etc.