As pointed out, Dunne's problems last season were of his own making. He came back from the holidays completely unfit, several weeks before Houllier and McAllister arrived. Like many people, he prefer to blame his own failings on other people. And because it is true that Dunne was poor last season; that he is much better this season; that Houllier was unsuccessful and fell out with his main defenders, Dunne can produce a plausible narrative that explains his numerous shocking performances last season and largely absolves himself of the blame. But that doesn't mean the narrative is true.
Gabby has been saying similar although much more aimed at GMac, who was clearly the bigger issue throughout.
You're right. Houllier's two main problems last season was his lack of pragmatism and his lack of an assistant who could bond with the players. He is an ideas man, and without someone who could explain his ideas to the players and provide him with feedback of how they reacted to his schemes, he was probably perceived as out-of-touch and aloof and not really taken seriously.
“I’ve played for a few really, really horrendous managers,” he said. “I thought one in particular was Gerard Houllier. It baffles me how that guy has ever got a football job, and it scares me. It makes me think that I could easily be a manager if he’s doing it, my gardener could easily be a manager if he’s got a job, because I thought he was that bad.”What did Houllier do to deserve that appraisal?“Every team talk Gerard Houllier gave was about his time at Liverpool. He was like: ‘Come on guys, because I told Steven Gerrard and Danny Murphy this, and they went out and done this in the second half.’ I’m thinking: ‘You’re trying to get us riled up for the second half by telling us about Steven Gerrard and Danny Murphy?’ Honestly, you would see everybody giving each other the eyes.“I didn’t think he had a clue about football. Everybody is training like maniacs to get in the team on Saturday and I remember he was four football fields away looking at the flowers and walking around with his hands behind his back. How is he picking the team on a Saturday? It’s frightening, frightening. That’s what killed me.“He didn’t play me. He gave me bits and pieces here and there, made me play with the kids again, and I thought: ‘What the hell is going on?’ He sent me on loan to Newcastle and arghhhh… it was just like, ‘What is going on with my career?’
From The Athletic, Stephen Ireland on Houllier:“I didn’t think he had a clue about football. ’
“He didn’t play me. ’
He sent me on loan to Newcastle and arghhhh… it was just like, ‘What is going on with my career?