Has Houllier changed our club for the better?

[Concrete John]

To draw a parallel with Spurs, I think the success they're enjoying now all started from apointing Jol.  Many of the players he brought to the club are still there, even if some had to be re-signed by Redknapp.  They got it wrong with Ramos, but bit the bullet early and 'arry finished the job off and they're in the last 8 of the CL.

Now, if we are following a similar pattern, then is Houllier our Jol, our Ramos, or our Redknapp? 

If he's our Ramos, which if your basing things solely on results would seem to be the case thus far, then that means Martin was our Jol, who's started a process of building the club towards success, which many on here would argue with.  I can't see him being the Redknapp as he's changing too many things the last manager did, so rather than add the finishing touches he's starting from scratch. 

So that leaves me to thinking he's our Jol.  That the things he's doing will be the foundation for the club to go on to great things in the nearish future.  But it'll be another manager that actually gets us there!   

[Merv]

I'm not sure why McAllister gets the stick he does from some on here. How can we judge what he puts in to the role? 90% of his work revolves around the training pitch and the build-up to the weekend's game.

As for McGeady... if we'd have signed him I imagine he'd have played the Maloney role of a few seasons ago; started one game in four, spent most of his time sitting on the bench, replacing Young or Downing with 20 mins to go - coming on in a double substitution with Carew for Heskey. Albrighton, denied any action at all other than the odd Europa League outing, would have left to join another PL club for £2m, quietly developing into an England star in the process.

[Chico Hamilton III]

So that leaves me to thinking he's our Jol

You might be right - Spurs were 3rd from bottom when they finally sacked Jol

[Concrete John]

not3bad said:-

Really?  You don't like Kyle Walker, Darren Bent or Jean Mckoun?  Seem to be working out OK to me.  Bradley did have the one bad game but still a bit early to judge.

You misunderstand me.  I do like those players, better then many MON signings, but we've still gotten stinking results with them. 

What I was saying that I'd rather a manager buy players I don't like and get good results anyway than buy players I do like and us lose all the time.

[WikiVilla]

McAllister . How can we judge what he puts in to the role? 90% of his work revolves around the training pitch and the build-up to the weekend's game.

He has to be judged on results as does Le Gaffeur

[pauliewalnuts]

So that leaves me to thinking he's our Jol

You might be right - Spurs were 3rd from bottom when they finally sacked Jol

I've thought a few times this season that it is not totally unlike the season Spurs flirted with relegation, 2007-8.

Looking at statto.com, this week in 2008, Spurs were 11th on 32 points.

Not that dissimilar to us now, the difference this season is that the bottom three clubs aren't as bad as they were at this point in 07-08 - back then, the 18th, 19th and 20th placed club had 25, 20 and 10 points. Currently they have 31, 29 and 27.

[Merv]

McAllister . How can we judge what he puts in to the role? 90% of his work revolves around the training pitch and the build-up to the weekend's game.

He has to be judged on results as does Le Gaffeur

Not coaching ability? Not rapport with the players? Not the way he might handle and encourage the younger players? Not any role he may play in identifying transfer targets and supporting the manager?

Just results, right? Cowans may as well go too, then.

[dave.woodhall]

I'm not sure why McAllister gets the stick he does from some on here. How can we judge what he puts in to the role? 90% of his work revolves around the training pitch and the build-up to the weekend's game.

Nobody's going to blame Sid are they?

[Risso]

I wonder if Sid might regret stepping up a position or two?  In my opinion, his elevation looked to be a bit of a sop to the fans who on the whole weren't overly enthusiastic about Houllier.

[Merv]

No, which is why I said what I said above! I don't blame Sid either, so I'm not sure why McAllister's been marked out for this kind of treatment, almost since the day he started. Whatever he looks like he's doing or not doing on matchday - too much shouting, not enough shouting - it's not an accurate reflection of the influence or impact he may be having during the rest of the week.

[WikiVilla]

I'm not sure why McAllister gets the stick he does from some on here. How can we judge what he puts in to the role? 90% of his work revolves around the training pitch and the build-up to the weekend's game.

Nobody's going to blame Sid are they?

He may have to take one for the team too

[Merv]

Crikey, it's a cull. KMac?

[peter w]

I'm not sure why McAllister gets the stick he does from some on here. How can we judge what he puts in to the role? 90% of his work revolves around the training pitch and the build-up to the weekend's game.

Nobody's going to blame Sid are they?

He may have to take one for the team too

maybe to be 'demoted' back down, or back through, the ranks. But in no way should Sid and being sacked by Villa ever find its way into the same sentence.

[UsualSuspect]

What pisses me of about mcAllister is that he sits on the bench and shows no emotion, rarely getting up and tbh he looks like he would rather be somewhere else.

Best line was from the WM commentary against man City:

"The only reason I know that Houllier & McAllister are not waxwork dummies is because Houllier just blinked"

[TheSandman]

He's certainly a manager that polarises opinion....even on an individual basis: I can't quite decide whether he's a PR disaster that, come match day, doesn't have a clue or if he's working his arse off to rebuild the old and broken remains of Chez Mon into something modern and majestic.

I suspect it's a little from column A and a little from column B. He'll be happy to do nothing other than stay in the premiership this season and focus on new training methods, new tactics, new players...a whole new ethos. All of which is fantastic except I'm sure he wasn't expecting this team to be brushing so closely against the bosom of relegation.

For me, it'll be either the most disasterous appointment in modern times or something we'll look back on in a few years and realise that he has built an absolutely brilliant new foundation that will stand the club (and any new manager that takes over) in good stead for many a year.

Flip a coin.

An excellent summation. Agree 100%

So the gist of the article is that a nice man treated James Nursey to nice food and nice drink and he's all of a sudden saying nice things about him?

It started before that with Nursey, it has been very noticeable.

Someone needs to get Oliver Holt up Broad Street and spike his WKD.

From what I understand Nursey had a really low opinion of a former member of staff.

Spill the beans then!

O'Neill. Quite a few journalists outside of a chosen couple never really took to him.