Message From Houllier

[jonzy85]

Here's why I think it was important for Houllier not to be doing the things he did at Anfield. Please don't read it if you think we've done this to death.

Let's imagine he'd taken over at Arsenal or Man Utd, returned to Anfield, and did those things. How would it have come across then? Well, I don't think the fans of those clubs would have had to worry about it happening, because it would never have happened in that way. A slight wave, an acknowledgement, maybe, but not all the other gushing and fawning. There would have been absolute hell to pay, otherwise. Much worse than he got from us.

I think Houllier would have been under no illusion that - whether it was Arsenal or Man Utd he'd returned with - his new club would not stand for any such starry-eyed nonsense. And this is the crux of the problem. His perception was that it'd be okay to do what he did, because he returned with Villa. It was only Villa. We are not at the level of Man Utd, Arsenal or Liverpool. We're smaller than those clubs and, as such, shouldn't expect the levels of respect that the bigger clubs get. I don't for one second think that he reasoned any of this out before he went to Anfield, I think he did what he did naturally. But the feeling is there, we are a team that traditionally finished between 8th and 12th, remember. We're only Villa.

If ever we want to enjoy real sustained success, we have to, as a club, free ourselves of the 'we're only Villa' mentality. I fully believe that our many failures in the past, our inability to push on from positions of strength, our failure to win make-or-break matches, has been in part down to this psychological problem.

Think like winners, and you've got a better chance of winning. Think like losers, and you'll beat yourself before a ball has been kicked. Think like a team that will not tolerate losing habitually, and you'll bust a gut to win at all costs. At 2-0 down against Liverpool, we were already thinking we'd lost - as the manager admitted - when there was everything to play for. Neither Man Utd, Arsenal nor Liverpool would ever dream of thinking in that way.

Houllier's actions, and the subsequent internet drama-queenery, might have made him realise that - despite how Aston Villa are perceived in the media and in football generally - there are many fans out there that want to shake off the 'we're just Villa' mentality.

We're Aston Villa. We are fucking proud of that fact. And we demand that our manager - whoever he might be, whoever he's managed previously, and whoever he returns to play, with Aston Villa - respects that pride, leads by example and goes about instilling it among his players.   

I suspect Messrs Rinder and McGregor might have agreed. 

Have to agree entirely.

I can get over him acting like an idiot. It's the fact that he has come in and publicly stated that he sees us as a mid-table team, despite the fact that we finished 6th the last 3 seasons, being close to the top 4, that worries me. When he took the job he said it's not as if we are Liverpool, even though we finished ahead of them last year. It's not going to happen but the sooner he is gone the better for the club.

[Karl Bridges]

I would prefer that we didn't become Newcastle and gave the guy a chance to turn the situation around. It may not work out or he may just build the club a solid foundation after MON pulled the rug out from underneath it.

[jonzy85]

I would prefer that we didn't become Newcastle and gave the guy a chance to turn the situation around. It may not work out or he may just build the club a solid foundation after MON pulled the rug out from underneath it.

Or he may just undo the solid foundation that MON had built for us.

I still say we were only signing Darren Bent away from finishing top4.

[dave.woodhall]

Have to agree entirely.

I can get over him acting like an idiot. It's the fact that he has come in and publicly stated that he sees us as a mid-table team, despite the fact that we finished 6th the last 3 seasons, being close to the top 4, that worries me. When he took the job he said it's not as if we are Liverpool, even though we finished ahead of them last year. It's not going to happen but the sooner he is gone the better for the club.

How about something radical, like giving him a chance and not getting worked up about sensationalist press quotes?

[WikiVilla]

Agree, lets judge Houllier and the coaching staff on results, not words and sensationalised media spin

[pauliewalnuts]

I would prefer that we didn't become Newcastle and gave the guy a chance to turn the situation around. It may not work out or he may just build the club a solid foundation after MON pulled the rug out from underneath it.

Or he may just undo the solid foundation that MON had built for us.

I still say we were only signing Darren Bent away from finishing top4.

Unfortunately, we had a manager who seemed entirely incapable of signing a decent striker, despite us clearly needing one for four years.

I bet we could have had Darren Bent when he went to Sunderland. Think of the money we wasted on utter crap like Marlon Harewood.

[jonzy85]

Have to agree entirely.

I can get over him acting like an idiot. It's the fact that he has come in and publicly stated that he sees us as a mid-table team, despite the fact that we finished 6th the last 3 seasons, being close to the top 4, that worries me. When he took the job he said it's not as if we are Liverpool, even though we finished ahead of them last year. It's not going to happen but the sooner he is gone the better for the club.

How about something radical, like giving him a chance and not getting worked up about sensationalist press quotes?

My point is that I dont really give a s*** about his press quotes...it's more the fact that he just doesnt seem right for the job.

[pauliewalnuts]

Have to agree entirely.

I can get over him acting like an idiot. It's the fact that he has come in and publicly stated that he sees us as a mid-table team, despite the fact that we finished 6th the last 3 seasons, being close to the top 4, that worries me. When he took the job he said it's not as if we are Liverpool, even though we finished ahead of them last year. It's not going to happen but the sooner he is gone the better for the club.

How about something radical, like giving him a chance and not getting worked up about sensationalist press quotes?

My point is that I dont really give a s*** about his press quotes...it's more the fact that he just doesnt seem right for the job.

Why don't you give him a chance?

You might be right in your suspicion, but he has hardly had a decent chance yet. It's a bit Newcastle to sack your manager under these circumstances.

[dave.woodhall]

My point is that I dont really give a s*** about his press quotes...it's more the fact that he just doesnt seem right for the job.

You obviously do care about the quotes otherwise you wouldn't be harking back to ones from months ago.

In any case a dozen games, in which he's never been able to pick from a full side, and not bought a player, is a very short time to form any sort of judgement.

[jonzy85]

I do realise it is a bit Newcastle, wanting rid of him now. I do want to give him a chacne and hope he can turn it around. The fact is though i dont have any faith in him and he has done nothing since he arrived to give me a reason to believe in him.

As for the press comments, I was referring to his comments after the Liverpool game, which make no odds to me really, his comment when he first joined did worry me though. Stating that he sees us as a 8-12th place club doesnt say much for his ambitions.

[garyfouroaks]

Let's be clear, MON bailed out because he felt his job was done.He couldn't improve on what he had done. He was probably right both in terms of himself- and the players.

Houllier inherited a Club still in shock, but with the window closed and a team that had not been freshened up in the summer.

Those circumstances would have been a challenge for any manager.Some of the current angst is not about Houllier - it is about the realisation of where we are again,hope removed, with little prospect of an improvement.

[WikiVilla]

a Transitional season then and give Houllier the summer of 2011 to put his stamp on the team / club

[Karl Bridges]

It's a bit slack to say he hasn't done anything so far. He's been hamstrung most of the time but I felt a real sense of excitement after we ripped Man Utd apart. If that is where he trying to get to I am happy to give him the time to try and do it.

[Marlon's Hairy Wood]

I've never had such a varying opinion on a manger as much as i have had with Houllier

his liverpool loving was ridiculous, but to show some balls and drop Dunne and Ireland has rewon me over

both of them are not fit to wear the shirt, and i'm glad houlliers ruthlessness was rewarded with a victory

on a side note - I signed up to this forum under the influence of alcohol iirc, so if someone could correct the appalling punctuation in my name (apostrophe and capital W) i'd be eternally grateful as its putting me off forumming

[pauliewalnuts]

on a side note - I signed up to this forum under the influence of alcohol iirc, so if someone could correct the appalling punctuation in my name (apostrophe and capital W) i'd be eternally grateful as its putting me off forumming

I'll pass it on - can't do it myself, need super admin skillz.