Houllier confirmed as new manager. Press Conference p22

[Guy M]

So a pre-season where players weren't happy with MoN, Milner unsettled then sold, rumours of Warnock and L.Young heading off (not to mention Ashley), MoN eventually having a strop and leaving a few days before the season start, a few injuries, a disaster against Newcastle, being dumped out of Europe early (which will do our confidence no good at all), Man City spending an absolute fortune again and you expect 6th again?

I don't think so. It'd be very nice, that's for sure but most fans said even before any names were mentioned for the managers job that this season will be one of transition, a season to bring through the youngsters. If we get 6th again, I'll be very very pleased indeed!

Yes, of course we all 'want' at least 6th but you state that like it's an expectation.
No offence but you're living in a fantasy world.

But we were all told by those who'd lost patience with MON that if he were to go, we'd have the cream of the crop biting their right arms off to join us and while I'm more optimistic about GH's appointment (his chosen number two being a great part of that), I still feel that he is somewhat of a sideways step. A short-ish term solution.

Besides if what you say was correct and the players were unhappy, surely they'll be delighted now and able to play with some air of freedom? We're only 3 league games in, sit 4th in the table with 6 points. MON didn't make full use of the squad. Gerard presumably will. MON had his favourites. Gerard presumably won't.

Irrespective of when MON left us, I can't see how those who wanted him go, felt he'd taken us as far as he could and said we were underachieving considering the money he'd spent are now saying this has to be a season of transition. As much as I hate him, you only need to have a look at Honest Henry's tenure at Spuds. He went there much further into the season, in a much worse position and turned things around very quickly.

Seeing as people like to remind us how much MON had spent, surely with that basis already in place, Gerard should be looking to push us into that magical top 4 this season? Or maybe, just maybe, MON wasn't doing quite so bad a job after all. And no, I don't agree with the way in which he left us or the timing.

[olaftab]

7th-12th has really pissed me off. And it is day 1.

He ia really an arse.  Saying 7 to 12  for a club that sits in  5th position  in the overall points tally since Sky invented football is a disgrace.  In terms of  since  Will McG invented football we are 3rd behind Manu and Lpool for overall honours.  I do hope he clears this up otherwise .... I am equally pissed off...do not want another DOL.

[Chris Smith]

While I'm not bowled over by the appointment, as a Villa fan I will get fully behind our new manager and hope he will bring us success.

I have just 1 small problem with supporting a French manager.  He's French.  It's a well known fact that the French dislike the English, and ever since they started taking all their industrial disputes straight to the Channel ports, I've been happy to reciprocate the feeling and have studiously boycotted all things French, including their wine. I'm now going to have to swallow my pride (and maybe their wine) and go back on my principals.

And on the subject of wine, as Brits are the only people to refer to a certain are of wine as 'Claret', will we now become the Bordeaux and Blues?

I think it unlikely that Houllier coming to work in this country for the third time "dislikes the English".

It was firmly tongue in cheek

Sorry, mate I think some of the more extreme views have made me a bit slow on the uptake today.

[Chris Smith]

7th-12th has really pissed me off. And it is day 1.

He ia really an arse.  Saying 7 to 12  for a club that sits in  5th position  in the overall points tally since Sky invented football is a disgrace.  In terms of  since  Will McG invented football we are 3rd behind Manu and Lpool for overall honours.  I do hope he clears this up otherwise .... I am equally pissed off...do not want another DOL.

Our average league finish in the PL is 8th, he's spot on. Overall points tally is meaningless.

[BannedUserIAT]

Guy, I see where you are coming from but MoN bought players to use in HIS way, HIS style. This may not suit Houllier. Who knows though, it just might. Maybe we will click straight away but the players will have to get used to a different style, a different attitude. Maybe Houllier will want to break it all down into basic football and rebuild completely (same players, just learning new tricks). This may take time.

As for Houllie being a sideways step, that was my first thought too. But you only have to compare him directly with MoN (from coaching ability, man-management, player knowledge, tactical knowledge, achievements,  etc) to see that, in every single department (at least that I can think of), he's at least one step ahead of O'Neill.

So I don't perceived it as a sideways step. At all.

[Chris Smith]

Neil Moxley (we wont mention his "paper") on the money again >> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1310418/Aston-Villa-fans-support-club--new-manager-Gerard-Houllier.html?  "Aston Villa fans must support their club... even if they can't get behind new manager Gerard Houllier".   Who's this Woodhall chap who claims to speak for us all? :0)

He's that posh, well spoken chap who was on SSN last night.

[dave.woodhall]

7th-12th has really pissed me off. And it is day 1.

He ia really an arse.  Saying 7 to 12  for a club that sits in  5th position  in the overall points tally since Sky invented football is a disgrace.  In terms of  since  Will McG invented football we are 3rd behind Manu and Lpool for overall honours.  I do hope he clears this up otherwise .... I am equally pissed off...do not want another DOL.

Our average league finish in the PL is 8th, he's spot on. Overall points tally is meaningless.

Wasn't one of the main planks of your argument for O'Neill that he increased our points total last season?

[CJ]

It was firmly tongue in cheek
[/quote]

Sorry, mate I think some of the more extreme views have made me a bit slow on the uptake today.
[/quote]
No probs! Likewise there's one poster in particular who's pushing my blood pressure but so far I've resisted the temptation to bite

[pmk1981]

it just seems like he wants another big club before he retires and this is a stepping stone !!

What, at 63?

yea !!  hodgson is 65 and just took over liverpool,  fergie is nearly at the point when he cant control his bladder and he is still managing ( granted he has been there for ever )  if houllier is still as good as everyone says he is, he will have his 2 year contract here and when he is 65 take over at somewhere else

So in that case we'll be in no worse a position than we are now (he'll hardly be able to use us as a stepping stone if Villa go downhill), you'll have seen that back of a manager you don't like and you'll be able to tell everyone how right you were.  Sounds like a good deal from your point of view.

i am so hoping that i am proved wrong and i will hold my hands up if things go well,  but i cant see it happening,  i want it to and i will support all the way but all you lot are banding on about all the contacts he has in europe,  look where that got liverpool,  10 million for cisse ?? LOL

[Ger Regan]

i want it to and i will support all the way

Hang on, you said you would boo Thompson if he joined? How would that have been supporting all the way?

[olaftab]

7th-12th has really pissed me off. And it is day 1.

He ia really an arse.  Saying 7 to 12  for a club that sits in  5th position  in the overall points tally since Sky invented football is a disgrace.  In terms of  since  Will McG invented football we are 3rd behind Manu and Lpool for overall honours.  I do hope he clears this up otherwise .... I am equally pissed off...do not want another DOL.

Our average league finish in the PL is 8th, he's spot on. Overall points tally is meaningless.

I will be quite happy with 80 "meaningless" points any season!

[pmk1981]

i want it to and i will support all the way

Hang on, you said you would boo Thompson if he joined? How would that have been supporting all the way?

but thompson aint joining now is he ?

[pmk1981]

when is the news conference ?

[Guy M]

Just to continue the semi-private discussion...

Troy, I can also see where you're coming from, but the issue I have is that MON was accused of under-utilising the squad. Not that the majority of players he brought in weren't up to better.

If Gerard's "coaching ability, man-management, player knowledge, tactical knowledge" are all superior to MON's, then I would expect to see immediate rewards. I don't think a season of transition is therefore necessary. It just feels a bit to me like those that disliked MON so much are getting their excuses ready for Gerard in advance, rather than judging him on his own merits.

I thought the whole point of getting a really decent manager in is because they would be able to work with what they've got instead of relying so heavily on the transfer window. In fact, I can even see a benefit in the window now being closed because it gives everyone in the squad a clear 3-month period in which to impress the manager and justify their continued employment.

I don't think the squad requires a widespread overhaul. Just a tweak here or there. I hope and expect therefore for us still to be sitting in the top 8 at least by the turn of the year (which is actually slightly less than what I'd have wanted and expected from MON) before GH has the opportunity to freshen things up if he deems fit.

Strangely, in spite of yesterday's indifference, I am now much more likely to go to Stoke on Monday. Even if it is on the tellie, there'll be a lot to learn about how the team react to the manager and the appointment by actually seeing them in person.

[Ger Regan]

but thompson aint joining now is he ?

Hardly the point is it? You said you'd support the appointment all the way, but clearly you wouldn't have if Thompson was appointed. In fact you would have booed him, which would have really helped, wouldn't it?