The future of Houllier and McAllister?

[Concrete John]

I think Randy would have accepted 9th at the beginning of Houlliers tenure.

If we're trying to balance everything then it's probably fair to say it was a decent final position.  Yes, he made mistakes early doors and that cost us points we should have been picking up, but then that's balanced by the good results towards the end, particularly just before he got taken ill and then the final two games.

Based on that alone I've come round to thinking he deserves another season.

However, when you factor in his medical problems what he deserves and what he is capable of are two very different issues.

[Greg N'Ash]

there's a thread on here about Ancelotti with a lot of people saying basically how mad chelsea are sacking him, and yet here's a guy who won the double last year and despite having a full pre-season, unlimited money and a superb squad they still finished 15 points down on last year. Now while i wouldn't have sacked him, considering we finished a similar amount of points down this season i wonder why sacking Ancelloti is madness while GH being shown the door  with all the problems we've had is acceptable.

I guess you'd have to find out if the majority of chelsea fans are saying "he gots to go, this side won the league last season". I'm guessing not.

[Big Dick Edwards]

Houllier didn't take over until after the season had started. He had to assess O'Neill's squad of players as he went along, some of which couldn't play the more technical style Houllier wanted to impose. He suffered whingeing players who wouldn't or couldn't adapt to this new style, and endured a massive injury crisis to boot, forcing the blooding of young inexperienced players. Who on here would have predicted a cenre midfield of Hogg and Bannan lining up against Manchester United?!
Yes, the guy has made mistakes, including some nauseating PR errors of judgement, but doesn't he deserve a full pre-season this summer, where he can rid himself of the deadwood and troublemakers while bringing in his own men?
If fit and willing, Houllier is a well respected man in the world of football and deserves the opportunity. The time to judge him will be in six months time.

[eastie]

I think roman wants the champions league above everything else and whoever manages Chelsea is unlikely to get more than 2 yrs to have a crack at it- interested in seeing Carlo saying he wants to stay in England and manage another club, whoever gets him will be getting an excellent manager.

I think most Chelsea fans would point to the owner as the problem last season and his decision to sack Wilkins.

[cheltenhamlion]

We can't risk another season disrupted by health worries and there are far better managers available now than there were when MON left. Sorry, but it would be daft to have him in charge of first team affairs next year.

[eastie]

That's if his health is an issue Cheltenham, and reports are suggesting it's not job related and his heart is fine, once the aorta has healed the surgeons seem to think there is no problem , and it is not a stress related issue according to latest reports.

Thereby if randy decides to get rid it will have to be on football grounds alone as all indications are that GED will get the all clear medically.

[levico]

I think I would feel easier about the ticking health issue (no pun intended) if Gary Mac wasn't the assistant. Still like to see him go and replaced by someone who won't antagonise the players.

[eastie]

Agreed, if GED could get phil Thompson and Patrick  bergues in then they would probably be the most important additions of the summer.

[Oscar Arce]

He needs to leave, for his own health and also ours.
The uncertainty surrounding our club needs to be resolved as soon as possible, season ticket renewals are poor, players are getting uneasy and I cannot see how it will help anyone including Houllier, if he stays in charge.
I'm sure Mr Lerner will take the correct decision and hopefully next week.

[UsualSuspect]

Houllier didn't take over until after the season had started. He had to assess O'Neill's squad of players as he went along, some of which couldn't play the more technical style Houllier wanted to impose. He suffered whingeing players who wouldn't or couldn't adapt to this new style, and endured a massive injury crisis to boot, forcing the blooding of young inexperienced players. Who on here would have predicted a cenre midfield of Hogg and Bannan lining up against Manchester United?!
Yes, the guy has made mistakes, including some nauseating PR errors of judgement, but doesn't he deserve a full pre-season this summer, where he can rid himself of the deadwood and troublemakers while bringing in his own men?
If fit and willing, Houllier is a well respected man in the world of football and deserves the opportunity. The time to judge him will be in six months time.

Does he deserve a full summer?

No

he should work just for signed Pires and having him chauffer driven up every every day and then sending bannan out on a pointless loan to leeds, then recalling him and still not doing anything with him.

Add to that the shit tactics in the cup against small heath

add to that Man city - he still doesn't get why we were pissed off

add to that Liverpool away

add to that playing gabby on the wing

[Concrete John]

That's if his health is an issue Cheltenham, and reports are suggesting it's not job related and his heart is fine, once the aorta has healed the surgeons seem to think there is no problem , and it is not a stress related issue according to latest reports.

Even if it's isn't directly stress related, who's to say something similar won't happen next year?  Or that his heart has once again been weakened and the stress of the job WILL have a bearing from here on in?

[Meanwood Villa]

I can't believe he hasn't gone yet. The owners at Chelsea and West Ham are rightly criticised for numerous reasons but at least they dealt with the manager issue decisively and quickly.

[Greg N'Ash]

Putting aside the health factors which obviously has a big bearing on Randy's decision, if he was 100% i'd still give him at least a year from when he took over. He made plenty of mistakes last season i'd agree, but there was enough there to show things could get better. The only time i was really worried was after the wolves game's gutless performance which i put down to the two twats in defence deciding to stir it.  Of course the downside to backing him this summer in the transfer market is having to sack him before christmas if things haven't improved. A lot of money for randy to write-off

[dave.woodhall]

Houllier didn't take over until after the season had started. He had to assess O'Neill's squad of players as he went along, some of which couldn't play the more technical style Houllier wanted to impose. He suffered whingeing players who wouldn't or couldn't adapt to this new style, and endured a massive injury crisis to boot, forcing the blooding of young inexperienced players. Who on here would have predicted a cenre midfield of Hogg and Bannan lining up against Manchester United?!
Yes, the guy has made mistakes, including some nauseating PR errors of judgement, but doesn't he deserve a full pre-season this summer, where he can rid himself of the deadwood and troublemakers while bringing in his own men?
If fit and willing, Houllier is a well respected man in the world of football and deserves the opportunity. The time to judge him will be in six months time.

Does he deserve a full summer?

No

he should work just for signed Pires and having him chauffer driven up every every day and then sending bannan out on a pointless loan to leeds, then recalling him and still not doing anything with him.

Add to that the shit tactics in the cup against small heath

add to that Man city - he still doesn't get why we were pissed off

add to that Liverpool away

add to that playing gabby on the wing

If managers got sacked for not doing exactly what a supporter wants there would be a lot of vacancies.

[Villanation]

There seem to be a lot of doctors and health experts posting on this thread- a respected surgeon has already said his problem wasn't stress related or job related and his heart is fine- the aorta was the problem and once healed there is no reason medically why he should not continue.

The question is should he continue based on the evidence of last season, not his health but his ability as a manager and it appears from the noises from geds friends and Gary mac that plans are well underway for pre season and houllier will be manager.

He needs to make many changes to the squad and let's see where he takes us but I think he will be staying as manager and that worries me to a degree , let's hope he gets the players in and out that be wants.

Was it not the case that he was on beta blockers and blood pressure related drugs, even so, facts are facts, he had a heart problem at Liverpool that led to him to retire from the game in that role, its happened again, what are the chances of this happening yet again, so bearing in mind this is clearly an on going problem in spite of what this surgeon says is he prepared to say this problem is absolutely and completely resolved, i very much doubt it.

Lets get real, if you could imagine someone had a health problem, that health problem was heart related, are we saying that an environment such as football management, certainly one of the most pressurised jobs going is best for that person, its a bit like telling an alcoholic go and be a wine taster 

I except the point that its not necessarily  the pressure involved with the job that kicks it of, however, it seems strange that it happened at his time at Liverpool doing this job and now at Villa and yet when he was upstairs for the French FA, nothing, was it also not the case he had a bit of a scare at Lyon.

IMO, in himself he's not a fit bloke and he's not the future, players must be thinking its not happening for this club unless changes are made, which causes unrest and a lack of team unity thus players speaking out all the time. That's my opinion, don't' doubt the blokes knowledge or ability, track record etc., but, he's not a well man and he's not a young man.