The future of Houllier and McAllister?

[TheSandman]

Don't know about others but while (of course) I don't want him to be ill, I'd be happier if he didn't come back as manager and I'm surprised so many people are willing to give him another season after the season we've just had.  I like Houllier, he comes across well when he speaks and everybody seems to rate him within the game but he has been a disaster for Villa so far.

There appears to be a larger pool of available managers (Moyes, Hughes, dare I say Ancelotti) than there was last time we were recruiting so this could be an opportunity missed if we aren't careful.

If he stays and we go on to do something worth cheering about I will eat my words gladly.  I just don't see it happening.

Agree with all that.

But if the alternative is Alan Fucking Curbishley I may re-consider.

[eastie]

Why do I get this uneasy feeling while reading this thread that some people would actually prefer it if Hotlips was more seriously ill than he appears to be just so he doesn't come back? As mentioned above, it was a heart defect with the aorta, not a stress related heart attack, if the doctors deem him fit, and his family don't persuade him otherwise, he'll be back.

If you are worried about his ticker how about getting behind him, that would be better for his health surely?

Well said mr cooper! Im now fully expecting houllier back as manager and hope we can put the rumours behind us and he will get on with rebuiding the squad and getting in the players he feels will take us forward- i think if he was going a decision would have been made by now and all the quotes from his friends indicate he is well on the way back and looking forward to it.

[pauliewalnuts]

Why do I get this uneasy feeling while reading this thread that some people would actually prefer it if Hotlips was more seriously ill than he appears to be just so he doesn't come back? As mentioned above, it was a heart defect with the aorta, not a stress related heart attack, if the doctors deem him fit, and his family don't persuade him otherwise, he'll be back.

If you are worried about his ticker how about getting behind him, that would be better for his health surely?

I think there are two seperate questions here.

1. Given his health problems, is he fit to come back and continue as our manager, and manage to do so for the foreseeable future.

2. Leaving health problems to one side - should he be invited to continue anyway, ie if he had had no issues, should we be looking at sacking him following a poor season.

The sticky situation now is that, given his health issues, point 2 is getting forgotten.

Wanting him to get better - as everyone does - is not the same as wanting him to carry on as manager.

The board need to ascertain if he's fit enough, and then when they know he is, look dispassionately at whether they want to keep him on.; Keeping him on purely because he's been ill is every bit as bad as sacking him because he's been ill would be.

[eastie]

Villa manager Gerard Houllier has dropped a strong hint that he plans to resume managerial duties after making his first public appearance since his heart problems.

The 63-year-old made a surprise visit to Villa Park with family and friends to watch a charity game involving shirt sponsors FxPro and the Acorns hospice.

Houllier signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans, telling them he was “feeling fine” and “hoped to be back soon.”

The Frenchman has been resting at his Worcestershire home, having been initially admitted to hospital on April 21 suffering from a dissection of the lower aorta.

But Houllier has made good progress over the past month and appears confident he will be able to return to the dug-out, although it is understood he may be excused Villa’s pre-season trip to Hong Kong for the Barclays Asia Trophy.

A final decision on his return has yet to be made by the Villa board, who will listen to the advice of medical experts on whether he will be allowed to come back with a reduced workload.

Owner Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner are acutely aware of the need to avoid a repeat of last summer, which was characterised by uncertainty over Martin O’Neill’s future and ultimately led to his departure five days before the season started.

But winger Marc Albrighton already has one eye on the new campaign, even though the Premier League season finished less than a week ago.

The 21-year=old is readying himself for England duty at the European under-21 Championships in Denmark



Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2011/05/27/villa-boss-drops-hint-on-return-date/#ixzz1NZHXuA1b

[andyh]

Talk about a bloody contradiction.
He will hopefully be declared fit for duty, but will be excused the trip to Hong Kong !
WHat the hell is that about.

He's either 100% fit to continue with ALL of his duties, or he's fucking not.

[Damo70]

That would be a great start wouldn't it? Missing a pre-season trip. I understand there has to be a period of recovery but if a manager isn't up to a handful of friendlies how is he up to nine months of competitive games a few weeks later?

[Dave Cooper please]

That would be a great start wouldn't it? Missing a pre-season trip.

What if he uses that time to pull some transfers and contract talks together whilst recieving detailed reports of the friendlies from GMac and his team of coaches?
Seems a decent idea to me.

[Ger Regan]

That would be a great start wouldn't it? Missing a pre-season trip.

What if he uses that time to pull some transfers and contract talks together whilst recieving detailed reports of the friendlies from GMac and his team of coaches?
Seems a decent idea to me.

Plus, and I'm purely speculating as I'm not a medical expert, but I would imagine that it's probably the extended air travel to and from Hong Kong that he might have to avoid?

[5ft811st2 Durham]

What a farce.

Why the hell can't we appoint someone without health issues?

[old man villa fan]

If Houllier is fit to continue, he is going nowhere.  Randy didn't backed him all the way in January to then get rid of him at the end of the season.

In January GH saw what positions needed stengthening and moved decisively, spending money where he thought the players would be for the future and bringing in loan players where is saw temporary fixes needed until the end of the season.

I see GH as a manager that plans for the future and not just the present like the previous manager did in his last 18 months here.  The difference is club or team and whether you think more of the job or more of yourself.  I believe this is why Randy selected GH and will give him time to rebuild the team and a sustainable future.

[VillaAlways]

That would be a great start wouldn't it? Missing a pre-season trip. I understand there has to be a period of recovery but if a manager isn't up to a handful of friendlies how is he up to nine months of competitive games a few weeks later?

Maybe as DoF he will be managing things at home while our new head coach is in Hong Kong ??

[TheEgo]

  I was told today, by somebody who works with Villa at boardroom level, that GH will be going, and Curbishley and McLaren are amongst those being considered.

If ever there was an example of "Be careful what you wish for" then this is it, god no!!

[achilles]

That would be a great start wouldn't it? Missing a pre-season trip.

What if he uses that time to pull some transfers and contract talks together whilst recieving detailed reports of the friendlies from GMac and his team of coaches?
Seems a decent idea to me.

Why don't we just let him work from home then?

[Rigadon]

That would be a great start wouldn't it? Missing a pre-season trip.

What if he uses that time to pull some transfers and contract talks together whilst recieving detailed reports of the friendlies from GMac and his team of coaches?
Seems a decent idea to me.

Why don't we just let him work from home then?

Ha!  If he can't fulfil the managers role he shouldn't be manager.  If he is to be a director of football, whatever the **** that actually is, then we need a much, much better coach than Gary McAllister. 

Again, I'm quite surprised that people are so happy to entertain Houllier returning (even though we all wish him health and a long life).

[Villanation]

The point I'm making is one that's not based on his record last season, or his ability, its his physical and mental state that to me says, no can do. Regardless of what these medical blokes say because they are not going to be there on the touch line, when we have our backs to the wall facing some scouse onslaught in a game, needing our manager to be going frantic at the lads to step it up, and he simply can't do it, he can't get involved.

Mr Houllier resigned from Liverpool on health and stepped down from Lyon because of pressure from the chairman for poor performance saying he was exhausted and needed a break.

This heart problem he has is one that is normally congenital (This is a defect in the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body. In a healthy heart, the aorta is attached to the left ventricle. This allows only oxygen-rich blood to flow to the body.
In tetralogy of Fallot, the aorta is between the left and right ventricles, directly over the VSD. As a result, oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle flows directly into the aorta instead of into the pulmonary artery to the lungs. Problems can occur when a greater flow of a blood/oxygen mix is required beyond the normal flow rate.)

The only point I'm making is, we have got over the MON era and the hangover that gave us, we now need a management team in place with a 5 year plan, the club needs that, the players need that (definably) and I think the fans need it IMO, also, surely Lerner needs it if he is about to invest further countless millions on rebuilding a side that may well be about to be ripped apart in the transfer market, thing is Houllier simply can't do that. IMO.