Randy Lerner

[Sexual Ealing]

One thing you can always be sure of at Villa is that following a populist manager is a hard task. If successful men who were Villa to the core such as Vic Crowe and Brian Little struggled in the eyes of some in comparison with their predeccessors then Gerard Houllier would have no chance. I also think that we don't like, or maybe trust, the more cerebral type of manager. If he wears his heart on his sleeve (BFR, Gregory, O'Neill) he'll get more of a pass than if he just gets on with the job.

Falls down a bit by the time you get to Sherwood, mind. Although all three that you mention actually delivered to some extent, which will always be TS's undoing.

[brian green]

I think the antipathy to Houllier is far more basic.  The latent prejudice that simmers below the surface of football, like it still does in society was thrown into sharp focus a day or two ago by a poster saying the last person you want in a trench with you is a Frenchman. Houllier was foreign and not to be trusted.  If we are lucky enough to get Garde he will get the same treatment, especially if he loses a few games.

[OzVilla]

Disagree, lets not look back on Houllier's reign as an unmitigated success - though what has followed has made it look a lot better than it actually was.

My gripes were his appointment in the first place, I wasn't sure he was actually fit enough for the role (which was borne out unfortunately) and then the teams very soft underbelly.  His love in at Anfield which totally disrespected and belittled the Villa in a DOLesque type of way just boiled my piss.  To be fair, his overall vision for the team and rumoured targets were fine but I never warmed to him nor he us and this was nothing whatsoever to do with his nationality.

[PeterWithesShin]

Someone summed it perfectly (sorry can't remember who) when they said Houllier seemed like a consultant sent in to sort things out in a detached way. We tend to prefer to be schmoozed, to feel they 'get' the club, get our history, become one of us etc. Sometimes though you just need a hard nosed bastard to come in and actually fix the problems rather than try and keep people happy.

[Toronto Villa]

Someone summed it perfectly (sorry can't remember who) when they said Houllier seemed like a consultant sent in to sort things out in a detached way. We tend to prefer to be schmoozed, to feel they 'get' the club, get our history, become one of us etc. Sometimes though you just need a hard nosed bastard to come in and actually fix the problems rather than try and keep people happy.

I always felt that and he would have turfed all of those tossers had he stay healthy. He was bringing in his players, we were linked to some very talented lads from outside of these shores. The likes of Collins and Dunne and any other useless muppet was going to be shown the door. I liked the football we had started to play too. It's a shame the project was never completed and then all of the problems compounded by the board bringing in you know who. But yes, Houllier came in to clean house and it was starting to happen in a very non emotional way.

[PeterWithesShin]

That said, the cup surrender at Man City was unforgivable and pissed me off far more than his Anfield antics. Plus as Dave said, we weren't complaining when SGT was doing it the first time he came back with Watford so a bit rich for us to get worked up over it.

[silhillvilla]

Let's please not lose sight of the far higher calibre of squad GED inherited yet still made a pigs ear out of it. Chalk abd cheese with where we are now and a much tougher challenge for whoever comes in.

[Ron Manager]

Someone summed it perfectly (sorry can't remember who) when they said Houllier seemed like a consultant sent in to sort things out in a detached way. We tend to prefer to be schmoozed, to feel they 'get' the club, get our history, become one of us etc. Sometimes though you just need a hard nosed bastard to come in and actually fix the problems rather than try and keep people happy.

A hard nosed bastard like Shanks or Fergie. There is only one and that is Nigel Pearson.

[PaulWinch again]

Someone summed it perfectly (sorry can't remember who) when they said Houllier seemed like a consultant sent in to sort things out in a detached way. We tend to prefer to be schmoozed, to feel they 'get' the club, get our history, become one of us etc. Sometimes though you just need a hard nosed bastard to come in and actually fix the problems rather than try and keep people happy.

A hard nosed bastard like Shanks or Fergie. There is only one and that is Nigel Pearson.

Nope he's just an unpleasant bully.

[mr underhill]

I for one would not want to place the future of Villa in Pearson's hands.

[saunders_heroes]

"I'll Never Walk Alone"
To think we actually employed this Scouse sychophant. I think I feel sick.

How sick did you feel when Graham Taylor came back as Watford manager and spent much of the match waving to us?

Isn't that a question for the Watford fans?

[Ads]

As one of only about a 1000 at Anfield that night, I neither saw him pre-match or wave during the game, so my only issue was that we were humped three nil without a whimper. I didn't care then that he had a hard on for the Dippers and I don't care now.

[rob_bridge]

I think the antipathy to Houllier is far more basic.  The latent prejudice that simmers below the surface of football, like it still does in society was thrown into sharp focus a day or two ago by a poster saying the last person you want in a trench with you is a Frenchman. Houllier was foreign and not to be trusted.  If we are lucky enough to get Garde he will get the same treatment, especially if he loses a few games.

To be fair Brian, he did himself few favours. Starting with Phil Thompson.

Lots of people on here in recent years have been plugging Laudrup, Frank De Boer, Bielsal, Prandelli even Eastie used to drone on about Ronald Koeman when Lambert was going through one of his bad spells

[rob_bridge]

That said, the cup surrender at Man City was unforgivable and pissed me off far more than his Anfield antics. Plus as Dave said, we weren't complaining when SGT was doing it the first time he came back with Watford so a bit rich for us to get worked up over it.

Slightly different though is it not?

Taylor is a Watford legend (no other word for it). I doubt he can ever do any wrong. 

To all Villa fans over the age of late 30's he was Villa's saviour in 1987 and stopped us being like Blues and Albion for a decade.

I'm sure if Houllier had a couple of very good seasons at Villa under his belt and then did the love in none of us would have minded obviously except for the line about not minding losing to Liverpool - that was entirely disrespectful

[rob_bridge]

Gerard Houllier

"You know, Liverpool’s results are the results I always look for. And the title of my book says it all: “Je Ne Marcherai Jamais Seul” ... “I’ll Never Walk Alone”."

Houllier is assisting Houllier. As ever.

Wonder if there is anything in there about David Ginola giving the ball away.