gabbygabbygabbygabbygabby

He hasn't been great for us so far but we have seen glimpses of talent. I think he could become a really important player for us if we can get him performing to his ability.

It's not like he left Fulham to manage us and decided to take charge of one last match.

It is a unique circumstance.

It's unique alright. I can't remember any other club doing things so arse about face.

If he does a good job who cares about 2 weeks. I'd rather him for the Blackburn game than gotten someone substandard for tonights game.

He has convinced the board so I am happy to see what he can do.

I think he's a good manager, which is why we needed him asap. Three more points chucked away because KM doesn't have the first clue as to what he's doing.

Of course we would prefer him now but in the grand scheme and away match to Stoke is far less important than making him our manager.

It's not like he left Fulham to manage us and decided to take charge of one last match.

It is a unique circumstance.

It's unique alright. I can't remember any other club doing things so arse about face.

If he does a good job who cares about 2 weeks. I'd rather him for the Blackburn game than gotten someone substandard for tonights game.

He has convinced the board so I am happy to see what he can do.

It's not like he left Fulham to manage us and decided to take charge of one last match.

It is a unique circumstance.

He has shown loyalty my arse. He was under contract and the FFF told him he had to do it or they'd hold in to the full three months notice more like.

Perhaps or maybe he knew that there was noone else who could hold that meeting and he stayed on for it. We will never know but either way he couldn't have made the game.

GH had a meeting with all the league officials and coaches from the French League. He had some unfinished work to do for them. He has shown loyalty and he is not just turning his back on it.

He explained this. There is a 3 month notice period that he has gotten around but he just had to tie up some loose ends. It makes sense.

Can't say i'm to pleased with Houllier tbh, If people thought MON was poor in the transfer market they're in for a shock. He'll probably try and drag milan baros back here!

I will definately give him a chance, buti just don't see how he will enable us to make a step forward(or stand still).

Yeah I'd hate for him to sign players like Hyypia, Hamann, Henchoz, Riise, Babbel, McAllister, Barmby, Finnan, Dudek. That would be awful.

MON was not bad in the market.

Houllier has signed some absolute dross as well, and high risk dross at that.

Let's not get carried away in the excitement of something actually happening. Houllier has been hit and miss in the transfer market, like many managers.

On balance I'd say that Houllier's failings in the market have been much more catastrophic that MON's. Also, on balance I'd say MON is the better manager, but I'm willing to reserve judgement somewhat on that issue in the meantime.

I'm willing to let Houllier win me over, but I'm still very much 'undecided'.

Every manager has signed terrible players, what I think is important is that they also sign some excellent ones. GH has done that at his last 2 clubs and is trusted with developing France's youth.

That is a man I am happy to have as manager, it could turn sour for all kinds of reason's but for me he is a great appointment.

Can't say i'm to pleased with Houllier tbh, If people thought MON was poor in the transfer market they're in for a shock. He'll probably try and drag milan baros back here!

I will definately give him a chance, buti just don't see how he will enable us to make a step forward(or stand still).

Yeah I'd hate for him to sign players like Hyypia, Hamann, Henchoz, Riise, Babbel, McAllister, Barmby, Finnan, Dudek. That would be awful.

MON was not bad in the market.

Seems like the General is suffering a rather acute case of verbal diarrhea. I think for all concerned he'd be best advised to keep his mouth shut with regard to (over)reacting to every negative comment he reads on a message board. I would have thought that he would have realised by now that it's the negativity of football based forums that keeps the things alive. And as for Houllier getting scared off by a few negative online comments, if he does he's not the man for the job. Time to duck your head back below the parapet General, me thinks.

Agreed. This is embarrassing.

Of course it must be the Gen that is the embarrassment throughout all of this, couldn't possibly be the section of fans that have brought this outburst about that are the embarrassment.

I know which of the two I find more embarrassing, and it isn't Krulak's response however naieve it may be.

Agreed. This is embarrassing.

can i ask what youths came through his system folks.because im sure Stevies G ect where already there before GH took charge..

Gerrard and Carragher were both about 18/19 when GH took over. Both owe a great deal to GH.

18 19,hang a min.if thats case DOL was great for giving Gabby chance.them players where already ear marked under Roy Evans lads.don't start hyping the man up when other people did the work..was Steve Highway not head of youth back then for Liverpool??..

If you manage someone from the age of 18-24 you leave a big mark on their career.

DOL left 2 months after Gabby's debut and cannot be given credit for the player he is now.

can i ask what youths came through his system folks.because im sure Stevies G ect where already there before GH took charge..

Gerrard and Carragher were both about 18/19 when GH took over. Both owe a great deal to GH.

Yes yes and yes!

Really? When he left the pool as a player he went to Sheff Utd, couldn't settle and retired at 31!

This. Some people are professional enough to give everything against their home town & double career club, I don't believe PT is one of them.

To win everything PT has won you have to be professional.

Yes yes and yes!

Really? When he left the pool as a player he went to Sheff Utd, couldn't settle and retired at 31!

If he is willing to take the job then he will also celebrate. He knows what it takes to succeed in this sport and that is nothing but 100% commitment.

Yes yes and yes!

The fact he has a big nose, that he’s a Scouser or those that watch Soccer Saturday don’t like him is neither here nor there.

This seems to be the biggest issue which I find mental!

Davies £10m

Sidwell £5m

Heskey £50,000 per week wages

Downing £12m when we could have had Johnson for £6m

Shorey £4m

If thats not spunking cash then i dont know what is?

Davies was 8mil and still has a career, he has had injuries that hampered him and we'll get 5mil for him easy if we sell him.

Heskey cost us a few mil, yet you quote his wages.

Downing has only had just over half a season, cut him some slack. He was excellent in the West Ham game.

Shorey was a few mil loss. Sidwell would be a few mil too.

So his worst signings are merely a few mil loss each. Nothing major.

Compare to..

Friedel, Warnock, Dunne, Collins, Cuellar, Young, Milner, Ashley Young, Petrov & of course swapping Baros for Carew.

All what you'd call success stories. It can't imagine ANY manager could have done a better job than Martin did in the transfer market with a net spend of around 60mil.

Houllier certainly won't do much better. Or ever come close.

But Houllier will sign foreigner players which is all we need according to many people on here. MON should get more credit for how he built our squad, he was flawed but I think his name will forever be dragged through the mud because he left so close to the start of the season.

Oh and changing my opinion of a manager just because he's going to become manager of our club is called being a hypocrite.

i'm sure the are loads on here that used to slag GH where managed liverpool,but now that he's on his way here there opinion is changing..

Exactly, it's typical of Villatalk.

I'll change my opinion of Houllier if he proves me wrong and does a good job. But right now I'm worried about the future with him in change. I admit he has the managerial skills to do well this season, but it's after he starts spending money that the tide turns.

well,i for one hated him when he managed Liverpool,i couldn't stand the guy(just like some on here with phil thomson eh).the only thing is im not going to be two faced about it,and go on as if im happy because he's the Villa manager now..

I hated him at Liverpool but will welcome him at Villa. He is a very good manager and is well respected in the game. He has won plenty and usually been near the top of the league, he has a mixed bag of signings from fantastic(Hyypia) to rubbish(Diao) but if he can pick up 2 or 3 fantastic ones for us we will be a really strong team.

I will welcome him here because he can make us a better team, don't let your hatred for him when he was at Liverpool blind that fact!

Defensive minded GH who helped oversee France's National side, and 'know it all' scouse prick PT...

Who are these experts that the Villa heirachy have been talking to to in order to get the best possible team to move us forward??

Its laughable!

Is this the French national side that won the World Cup and he was a technical director for?

Would you not take any defensive minded coach?

Someone being a "know it all scouse prick" is not enough reason to not hire him.

I don't want Phil Thomson anywhere near Aston Villa Football Club.

He as on numerous occasions shown contempt for Aston Villa during his media work. Only a couple of weeks ago when discussing Aston Villa on Soccer Saturday he said in a very condescending tone something a long the lines of " this is Aston Villa we are talking about they over achieved under Martin O'Neill and they need to remember that ". Continually emphasising this is Aston Villa we are talking about like a little club like Villa should be grateful to finish in the top 6.

As for him quitting Sky will show he'll be committed to us how the **** does that work? Thomson would be lucky if he is on anymore than a few hundred pound a week for the little work he does for Sky. The primary reason for him coming to Villa will be money. I don't have a problem with that but lets not make out the prick is doing us a favour.

Ludicrous stuff here.

It is not our right to finish 6th by any means. There are 8 clubs, including us now since Randy arrived, he was merely stating that the fans can not take this stuff for granted which evidently is what is happening. And even if he is not a Villa lover do you really think he would not try as hard? Do you think he would sabotage us from the inside?

He is a professional, and since he had a successful playing career this is proved. So he will do his job.

Sky pay good money. He wants to be more involved in the game though and this is a great chance to get back into it with a man that he had previous success with.

GH will be fine.

I´ll think we will probably be in for more entertaining transfer windows!

Funny you should say that as I was just reading the bit on his wiki detailing his transfers at plop. Let me tell you, it's a bit of a horror show that. He had James and friedel at the club, but shipped them out to replace them with arphexiad and westerveld, genius that. It's a mystery how he won the uefa cup and fa cup with a history like that in the Market. Quite shocking how many duds are in there.

Stop focusing on the negatives and see that he also signed Dudek, Hyypia, Finnan, Henchoz, Kirkland, Riise, Hamann, McAllister, and Barmby.

No manager goes through 6 years at a club without making a few mistakes and bad signings, what is important is that he makes some good signings too and does well in cups and the league.

Villa fans need to get a **** grip. We arn't United, Houllier is a good manager for us. How many Spurs fans were happy with redknapp? O bet Villa fans wouldn't have been happy with Redknapp. Think liverpool fans are happy with Hodgson? he's a step down for them.

Let's face it, we're not a massive club outside of this country, we're not going to attract managers like klinsmann or hitszfeld, so get real for gods sake.

Stop getting on Houllier and randys back before anything has even happened. What happened to just supporting the team?

Oi, less of that 'commonsense' bullshit!

Randy is a prick, Houllier is shit and I am losing faith in football, etc.etc. wah wah wah!

GH had a policy of buying young French players when manager of Liverpool. France is a hotbed of youg talent, which makes GH's record of not being able to spot one of them all the more impressive. He didn't half buy some lemons, including Heskey, who I seem to recall GH fancied as a winger. Boring football, shit manager IMO. As for PT, well he's an annoying cock..and this is coming from someone who tends not to be bothered by personality issues usually.

He also signed Hyypia and Henchoz for a combined 6M.

He signed Hamann, he signed Riise, he brought Gerrard and Carragher through.

Heskey was really good for Liverpool.

On the talksport interview, the French correspondent mentioned that Liverpool is definitely 'his club' and always will be and that he'll always have a place in his heart for Liverpool. If that is the case, then I don't really want him. I don't want a manager who is at Villa just for money or just as a job. I want him to genuinely want Villa to achieve greater things.

And I'd also get fed up of Houllier constantly talking about Liverpool akin to how much MON talked about Celtic.

Don't agree with this. Players are fans of other clubs too and it doesn't matter. He is not going to throw matches against Liverpool or anything.

I agree with the MON talking too much about Celtic though!

i wonder will the appointment of the manager depend on transfer funds..will the manager want to rebuild the team?.

I hope not. We have a good team, just need 2 or 3 players to take a step up the ladder. IMO.

FFS we are appointing a Prem proven manager who has won things, BIG things and yet he isn't good enough.

This should not be overlooked. He has finished 2nd in the league and won a treble in England. He has made some stunning signings along with some terrible ones but every manager does that.

He deserves a chance.