Gerard Houllier

[Merv]

I can't see that anything can be stated as fact about Houllier's suitability as manager at this point... obviously, results haven't been great yet if we'd kept Fulham out for another eight seconds we'd be pretty much in midtable. But anyway. I feel he's got the vision to bring us along as a club, long-term - short-term, there's a bit of pain. Injuries have been horrendous, and I also think he's been guilty of trying to move some things along too quickly; something has taken place between him and Ireland as the player is clearly out of favour and on his way, and I'd say Carew is in the same boat. He and Dunne may or may not have settled their reported differences, we'll see - I'd have thought the summer was the time to be getting rid of unwanted senior players, not mid-season with results going against you, and I think Houllier's made a mistake there.

But he now has big players back, and Chelsea showed he can look at opponents and - given options - pick a team to win (or nearly win) a game. Is he the type of manager we need? Don't see why not. If you're in the bottom half of the table do you want a guy who rolls his sleeves up and screams "stuck in boys!!!!!" or a clear-headed, tactical thinker? Gary MacAllister is there to play the animated, touchline-hopping role - we want (or wanted) something different from Houllier. Didn't we?

At the very least, we need to give GH the January transfer window and the rest of the season. If the season's a disaster and we go down, he's gone anyway. If it's a pretty lame second half and we're 15th, with no reason for optimism or hope, or plan, we make a quick decision in May and then appoint as early as possible. And if the second half sees an improvement, one or two encouraging signings in January, then GH has earned the right to start his rebuilding plans...

[Risso]

It's the "if we go down" bit that worries me Merv.  There's no way it should even be a consideration.

[Olneythelonely]

I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell we'll go down.

[PaulTheVillan]

I can't see that anything can be stated as fact about Houllier's suitability as manager at this point... obviously, results haven't been great yet if we'd kept Fulham out for another eight seconds we'd be pretty much in midtable. But anyway. I feel he's got the vision to bring us along as a club, long-term - short-term, there's a bit of pain. Injuries have been horrendous, and I also think he's been guilty of trying to move some things along too quickly; something has taken place between him and Ireland as the player is clearly out of favour and on his way, and I'd say Carew is in the same boat. He and Dunne may or may not have settled their reported differences, we'll see - I'd have thought the summer was the time to be getting rid of unwanted senior players, not mid-season with results going against you, and I think Houllier's made a mistake there.

But he now has big players back, and Chelsea showed he can look at opponents and - given options - pick a team to win (or nearly win) a game. Is he the type of manager we need? Don't see why not. If you're in the bottom half of the table do you want a guy who rolls his sleeves up and screams "stuck in boys!!!!!" or a clear-headed, tactical thinker? Gary MacAllister is there to play the animated, touchline-hopping role - we want (or wanted) something different from Houllier. Didn't we?

At the very least, we need to give GH the January transfer window and the rest of the season. If the season's a disaster and we go down, he's gone anyway. If it's a pretty lame second half and we're 15th, with no reason for optimism or hope, or plan, we make a quick decision in May and then appoint as early as possible. And if the second half sees an improvement, one or two encouraging signings in January, then GH has earned the right to start his rebuilding plans...

This is a very good post.

[Risso]

I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell we'll go down.

Two points off the relegation places in January says otherwise.

[Olneythelonely]

I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell we'll go down.

Two points off the relegation places in January says otherwise.

Regardless, I still don't think there's a chance we'll go down. We have players returning, and there are teams infinitely shitter than us.

[PaulTheVillan]

Relegation is worrying, but I don't think it'll happen.

[Chris Smith]

I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell we'll go down.

Two points off the relegation places in January says otherwise.

We will not get relegated.

[cdward]

.....if we'd kept Fulham out for another eight seconds we'd be pretty much in midtable.

 ....If the season's a disaster and we go down, he's gone anyway. ......
......If it's a pretty lame second half and we're 15th, with no reason for optimism or hope, or plan, we make a quick decision in May and then appoint as early as possible.
 
... if the second half sees an improvement, one or two encouraging signings in January, then GH has earned the right to start his rebuilding plans...

I wonder does Houllier like Rudyard Kipling?

If.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

[usav]

I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell we'll go down.

Two points off the relegation places in January says otherwise.

9 points from 6th says we can turn it around.

[Chris Smith]

I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell we'll go down.

Two points off the relegation places in January says otherwise.

9 points from 6th says we can turn it around.

With a game in hand.

[Holtenderinthesky]

I think he should go.  But as he won't be leaving just yet I'll get behind him 100% and hope that everyone does.  Lose to the scum again though and that will change things.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Lose to the scum again though and that will change things.

Are we now that small time? Over recent years we've played poorly and managed to find a winner against the Rags. The Cup game this season we were the better team but we didn't have the luck. Anything can happen in a local derby. But you're probably right, the result against the Rags could change things. A win and a few of the drama queens on here will be calling him the Messiah.

If I had to sacrifice losing to them but thereafter putting together a winning run that would see us climb the table to finish 6th, I'd take it now. The game tomorrow tonight is far more important than our derby game with the Kuckledraggers.

[Merv]

It's the "if we go down" bit that worries me Merv.  There's no way it should even be a consideration.

Well, yes. If there's even a threat of that March I expect this whole site to go into meltdown.

[Risso]

I don't think there's a cat's chance in hell we'll go down.

Two points off the relegation places in January says otherwise.

9 points from 6th says we can turn it around.

9 points is a huge amount of points at this stage of the season and says nothing of the sort.