Villa supporters turn up heat on Houllier

[pauliewalnuts]

When I said Liverpool I meant him having any affection for them, rather than what happened at Anfield.

I think he clearly does have lots of affection for them.

I hope he does, because if he doesn't, it makes that Anfield stuff even less excusable, which takes some doing.

[Concrete John]

Not one mention to his decision to field a weakened side for the Man City game.  Not one mention of his antics at Anfield.  Player problems or not he's still made some major errors.

And playing Gabby wide.

And not switching to 4-4-2 when Bent is getting isolated.

All these things have no bearing on player power, just bad management of a football team.

[KevinGage]

I would love to think the players are out to prove everyone wrong. Maybe we will catch a break and Newcastle won't try

This is what I am hoping for also.

Sad when it comes to that, but there it is.
Wolves were up for it, if Newcastle and 2/3 other sides between now and the end of the season don't turn up we'll be in clover.

[Eigentor]

Not one mention to his decision to field a weakened side for the Man City game.  Not one mention of his antics at Anfield.  Player problems or not he's still made some major errors.

And playing Gabby wide.

And not switching to 4-4-2 when Bent is getting isolated.

All these things have no bearing on player power, just bad management of a football team.

Every decision he makes that you don't agree with is proof of bad management?

[PeterWithesShin]

I wonder if the media will give as much publicity to our scarf/flag campaign that shows us in a positive light?

I'm not holding my breath either.

[mattjpa]

you can be the best manager in the world but if you're squad are as resentful and uncooperative as this current crop you've got big problems.  Either you give in to them, get a new manager and have the tail wagging the dog so to speak which is never a good idea or you try to ship them out as soon as possible. even if GH goes, i hope the trouble makers aren't given a reprieve. Disgraceful how some of them have acted, and an embarassment to Aston Villa

Although I agree in principal, I think this highlights his main fault as our manager.

A boss has to command respect and be seen as a true authority figure.  That means that even if you don't agree with him, be it the type of training or where you're being played, you give it your best anyway out of fear more than anything.  Basically, you know that if you cross him you're gonna lose so you toe the line. 

This trait can come from a number of facets; respect for previous achievements, strength of personality, long tenure at the club.  And it seems to me that Houllier has none of these. 

The players have been awful to him, but they're only doing that as they think they can get away with it, which is because he's seen as a 'weak' manager.  Let's not forget the likes of Dunne and Collins gave O'Neill no Hassle.  Could that be because they liked his approach?  Maybe, but they also knew that if they tried the shit they've done with Houllier they'd never see 1st team football again.

So my concern is that he can't command the respect of the modern professional and never will, which is why I think he should go. 

I think it is more to do with the fact they were signed by MON. if you know someone has gone out of their way to choose you, you are more likely to want to repay the faith. where as houllier has had this pile of shit handed to him and been told "do something with this". The ones that have shown disrespect are currently rotting in the reserves or shipped out--i dont see what more he can do. There is only so far you can go....if we carry on like that with collins and dunne we are fucked, we are bare bones as it is. We just have to ask these ****** to do the job they get paid thousands to do for a few more weeks. Beye, warnock etc should be going into the office and begging houllier to wipe the slate clean...they dont deserve to play for us they way they are....

[Legion]

It would be nice, but it probably wouldn't sell as many papers or get as many reads/views.

[Dave Cooper please]

For sure, as I say, at the end of the day, the ball's in our court, if we aren't singing from the same hymn sheet and developing some blue sky thinking outside of the box then we are all in it up to our necks and we'll be sick as a parrot Brian.

[5ft811st2 Durham]

you can be the best manager in the world but if you're squad are as resentful and uncooperative as this current crop you've got big problems.  Either you give in to them, get a new manager and have the tail wagging the dog so to speak which is never a good idea or you try to ship them out as soon as possible. even if GH goes, i hope the trouble makers aren't given a reprieve. Disgraceful how some of them have acted, and an embarassment to Aston Villa

The best manager in the world would be able to manage any squad of players however resentful and uncooperative. 

[jonzy85]

you can be the best manager in the world but if you're squad are as resentful and uncooperative as this current crop you've got big problems.  Either you give in to them, get a new manager and have the tail wagging the dog so to speak which is never a good idea or you try to ship them out as soon as possible. even if GH goes, i hope the trouble makers aren't given a reprieve. Disgraceful how some of them have acted, and an embarassment to Aston Villa

The best manager in the world would be able to manage any squad of players however resentful and uncooperative. 

Indeed.

Look at Chelsea, the season under Scolari and then Hiddink.

Scolari lost the dressing room and respect of the players and got the sack (at the right time).

Hiddink came in and completely turned it around and came close to winning 3 trophies from a position where they looked like their season was gone.

Is the suggestion that it was the Chelsea players that were the problem and not Scolari and they should have been got rid of?? Because if so, it is worth remembering that the next season they won the league under a new manager who also commanded respect.

[Phil from the upper holte]

A protest at this stage is pathetic, we need to get behind the lads.

I must admit I thought he was a good manager at one stage, Blackburn in the cup we were 1-0 down at HT and we were shocking, He brought on Heskey second half and changed it all around, Even big sam said we changed it and they couldn't cope.

I thought great we have someone who has a plan B, he sees what's wrong and makes changes, Sadly he hasn't stuck to that. Wolves was very evident of that

[Eigentor]

you can be the best manager in the world but if you're squad are as resentful and uncooperative as this current crop you've got big problems.  Either you give in to them, get a new manager and have the tail wagging the dog so to speak which is never a good idea or you try to ship them out as soon as possible. even if GH goes, i hope the trouble makers aren't given a reprieve. Disgraceful how some of them have acted, and an embarassment to Aston Villa

The best manager in the world would be able to manage any squad of players however resentful and uncooperative. 

Indeed.

Look at Chelsea, the season under Scolari and then Hiddink.

Scolari lost the dressing room and respect of the players and got the sack (at the right time).

Hiddink came in and completely turned it around and came close to winning 3 trophies from a position where they looked like their season was gone.

Is the suggestion that it was the Chelsea players that were the problem and not Scolari and they should have been got rid of?? Because if so, it is worth remembering that the next season they won the league under a new manager who also commanded respect.

I don't think Houllier and Hiddink are comparable. Their approaches differ completely.

Houllier is an administrator who wants to instill a philosophy and build something for the longer term. Hiddink is more like Mourinho; good at assessing players and getting the best out of what is at his disposal. Apart from PSV he has never been at a club for a long period. Mourinho is similar; his spell at Chelsea is the longest in his career.

[barrysleftfoot]

   And buying Darren Bent

  And buying Makoun

   And getting Walker on loan.

   And developing , and introducing Bannan, Albrighton, Clark, Baker, Herd, Hogg, Delfounso.

   And trying to play more football.


  Its not all been bad decisions by GH, and tbh this was always going to be a transitional season.It appears that the chasms between the senior players and management, that were suggested by MM, have had a lot more of an influence on team results than we had hoped.

  Not sure why we want player power to win tbh.

[jonzy85]

Or another way of putting it...Hiddink is a world class manager. Houllier is.....eh.....eh......not...?

[jonzy85]

   And buying Darren Bent

  And buying Makoun

   And getting Walker on loan.

   And developing , and introducing Bannan, Albrighton, Clark, Baker, Herd, Hogg, Delfounso.

   And trying to play more football.


  Its not all been bad decisions by GH, and tbh this was always going to be a transitional season.It appears that the chasms between the senior players and management, that were suggested by MM, have had a lot more of an influence on team results than we had hoped.

  Not sure why we want player power to win tbh.

Transitional season??? I didn't realise the transition was going to be of divisions at the start of the season.