Confirmed: Houllier is the new Villa manager

[El_Hierro]

There have been a lot of negativity towards Gerard Houllier on this site, to which I have contributed, mostly because of his appalling transfer record at Liverpool, the Baros/Carew incident and, not least, his boring style of football.

However I think it's only fair to point out some of the more positive stuff about the man as well, so here goes.

-he assisted France when they won the WC in 1998.

-his Lyon teams in 2005/06 and 06/07 won the French league with bigger margins (15 points and 17 points) than both his predecessors Santini in 01/02 (2 points) and Paul le Guen in 02/03, 03/04, 04/05 (1, 3 and 12 points) AND his successor Alain Perrin (4 points).

-looking at his time at Lyon, in contrast to his Liverpool spell, he actually made quite a number of decent signings, Carew being his first of course.

Here's the players he signed for Lyon:

John Carew Besiktas £ 5000000 27-06-2005

Benoit Pedretti Marseille Signed 01-07-2005

Sylvain Monsoreau Sochaux Signed 01-07-2005

Tiago Chelsea £ 6500000 23-08-2005

Frederico Chaves Guedes (Fred) Signed 01-09-2005

Kim Kallstrom Rennes Signed 01-08-2006

Jeremy Toulalan Nantes Signed 01-08-2006

Sebastien Squillaci Monaco Signed 01-08-2006

Alou Diarra Lens Signed 01-09-2006

Milan Baros Aston Villa Signed 22-01-2007

Maybe he's grown wiser with age (as most people do hopefully), eh? :winkold:

[Woodytom]

I agree paul. With Houllier we are at least aiming high. We are signing someone who has actually won things; and won them in England. He may or may not work out at this stage - like all potential appointments - but he has at least done well previously. Whereas with the likes of Curbishley you are absolutely guaranteeing mediocrity IMO and are not aiming high at all. All we can do is try and push on after O'Neill; and with Houllier I think we have one of the few who have been there, done it and actually succeeded in the Premier League. Not to mention being available.

I dont want curbishley BOF but im interested to hear why you think he would guarantee mediocrity. You only have to look at Charlton now to see he must have been doing a half decent job.

West Ham - well there was defo summit goin on ther then wasnt there?

Serious question (and I know Im not Moyes' biggest fan) but can people honestly say that David Moyes has achieved more at Everton than Curbishley did at charlton?

Charlton were mediocre though weren't they? The job he did in getting them here and obviously their demise after he went suggests how well he did there but they were an average, boring and mediocre side.

He, despite escaping blame, is one of the reasons West Ham are so financially ****, we moan about MON and his control of wages here but Curbs was awful at hammers in that respect, money spent on crocks like Upson, Boa Morte and Dyer, not to mention Llungberg, pretty unforgiveable record of signings there actually for me. True things were going on behind the scenes that were out of order and I feel Curbs was right to mantain his integrity and leave, but he has a record of producing mundane teams. I just think he has all the same flaws as MON...a bit of a paupers version of MON if you like. That's just my opinion though, I mean, I truly am dead set against him as an appointment.

I do think Moyes has done a better job, I mean, he broke the top four with barely any money, only Spurs have done it since and on a huge budget with a much better squad, remember Moyes team of that year cruising up to Villa for a 3-1, he got them playing above themselves as well, people like Osman played big parts in that. I think Moyes signings have been better, Everton more money than Charlton but then it shows doesn't it, Everton until last season had been 5th for two years running I think it was. Moyes is a much better manager than Curbishley, don't think many would dispute it really.

I dont disagree with much of that. All I would say is i doubt there are many charlton fans who wouldnt take his mediocrity. Imo he took Charlton a greater distance than Moyes has took Everton. But like I say, dont want either anyway

[Zatman]

At Lyon the manager doesnt sign teh players. Aulas and Lacombe usually pick teh players

[Chindie]

The thing with Houlliers record with Lyon is... well, it's not that relevant to us.

Most of his signings at Lyon were effectively doing what Bayern has often done - looking at who's been successful in the league and poaching them, because Lyon were/are the giants in France.

He couldn't do that for us. Not by a long shot.

At Liverpool his record falls down a lot, and that is slightly more relevant to us. He'd not be able to look around and pinch success stories, he'd have to identify talent, and sadly there he falls sharpish.

I'm really, really not keen on Houllier (surprise surprise) and even less so in a DoF role.

[paulanddonya]

Far too seriously.

Are you having a giraffe ?

I really dont know how old you are, so I will put it this way.

Alex Fergusun resigns from Man U , a guy takes over, openly says he dont give a shit about the club, players are bought who say they are only interested in their England careers and dont care what happens to the club.

And the inevitable happens and they are relegated.

You really dont know how much harm Billy McNeill and some players, including Curbishley did to this club - they left us far far worse than Leeds ever got to.

It is no understatement that if it wasn't for Graham Taylor we could be where Oxford are now (yes- rememeber, that same year they won the League Cup - knocking us out on the way !)

One of these guys then gets an interview to run us !!!!!!!!!!!

And you think I am taking it too seriously !

Jesus - I dispair !

[Woodytom]

I dont want curbishley BOF but im interested to hear why you think he would guarantee mediocrity. You only have to look at Charlton now to see he must have been doing a half decent job.

West Ham - well there was defo summit goin on ther then wasnt there?

Serious question (and I know Im not Moyes' biggest fan) but can people honestly say that David Moyes has achieved more at Everton than Curbishley did at charlton?

For me, Curbs has a glass ceiling. I think he is capable of getting any club to 8th in the Premier League. That club could be Charlton or it could be Manchester United. I just think that is the level of Curbs' ability regardless. I'm sure, as someone so succinctly put it in here earlier, that Curbs would turn us from a top 6 side into a top 8 side.

If we were bottom half, Curbs would be a good appointment because he would achieve exactly that - top 8. But we're not. We need someone who knows what it takes to finish in the top 4. Even if he doesn't end up achieving it, we will have at least tried to do so and we will have someone of that calibre at the helm and for me that's important. We need to be continuing our attempts to climb up the league otherwise what's the point?

While I dont necessarily agree with you there, Hes yet to be given the chance to see if he can take a stable (bigger club than Charlton) into the top 8. We will only ever know if he gets the job, but Im willing to go to my grave not knowing

[kid_villain]

in soviet russia, club manage you!

[Zatman]

I dont want curbishley BOF but im interested to hear why you think he would guarantee mediocrity. You only have to look at Charlton now to see he must have been doing a half decent job.

West Ham - well there was defo summit goin on ther then wasnt there?

Serious question (and I know Im not Moyes' biggest fan) but can people honestly say that David Moyes has achieved more at Everton than Curbishley did at charlton?

For me, Curbs has a glass ceiling. I think he is capable of getting any club to 8th in the Premier League. That club could be Charlton or it could be Manchester United. I just think that is the level of Curbs' ability regardless. I'm sure, as someone so succinctly put it in here earlier, that Curbs would turn us from a top 6 side into a top 8 side.

If we were bottom half, Curbs would be a good appointment because he would achieve exactly that - top 8. But we're not. We need someone who knows what it takes to finish in the top 4. Even if he doesn't end up achieving it, we will have at least tried to do so and we will have someone of that calibre at the helm and for me that's important. We need to be continuing our attempts to climb up the league otherwise what's the point?

While I dont necessarily agree with you there, Hes yet to be given the chance to see if he can take a stable (bigger club than Charlton) into the top 8. We will only ever know if he gets the job, but Im willing to go to my grave not knowing

tried and failed at West ham by signing Ljunbgerg, Dyer, Boa Morte, Faubert and Bellamy to big wages

[BOF]

He was equally as mediocre at West Ham after Charlton.

[Zatman]

I've just posted this on the Gens thread, but I am gonna put it here as it is apt. I had stick yesterday from people when I went berzerk over Curbishley.

Now just coz I am 40 and someone who is 20 - doesn't mean I am a better fan. But I think I put it well below - why - I do not want Curbislhey under ANY circumstances. hope it shows why some of us are so anti him

-----

I read your response and to be honest, can't disagree. However, this is why I myself am angry (and, yep - it's all media speculation).

You yourself keep saying things like "left the club high and dry" "left us in the lurch" - and things to that effect. So, presumably, you ain't very happy with martin O'Neill at the momet (and I will say I told you so , coz I told you many many times !)

So think of my dismay when I hear that we have interviewed a guy who did exactly the same to us 25 yrs ago, leaving us to get relegated, then when we did, was all over the TV, press with a smug grin on his face saying "Joining Villa was the biggest mistake of my career"

And THAT is why I was / am angry ! and yes, it was 25 yrs ago. But this club was dying at the time, I am sure you can associate with this. Some chose to stay and fight - the likes of Allan Evans, some chose to run away, the likes of Steve McMahon - and some, chose to run, join the enemy and tried to kill us - and sorry, would you trust a guy who did that to you - no matter how much time passed ?

Just coz I am older, doesn't make me more of a fan. But what it does do is I / some others have longer memories, and can remember the people who took the pee out of this club (Curb / Hodge - sorry wash my mouth out / Collymore / Curcic / and the most, McNeill !) and the ones that bled claret and blue (Graham Taylor to name one that often gets slagged off on here. Believe me, if it wasn't for him, Randy wouldn't have a tattoo, as there would be no football club !)

We have a motto Proud History / Bright Future - I just wish (again, if it is true of course) that someone had looked at the history before we interviewed ! (and I apologise if he never was interviewed and it was media crap !)

I think this is very good read

[barry'sboots]

I dont disagree with much of that. All I would say is i doubt there are many charlton fans who wouldnt take his mediocrity. Imo he took Charlton a greater distance than Moyes has took Everton. But like I say, dont want either anyway

Agreed. I think Curbs punched massively above his weight at Charlton whereas Houllier performed well below the level expected of a Plop side - even his treble winning side disappointed in the league from memory. If Curbs had won a trophy with Charlton I think he would have been seen as a miracle worker given budgets and relative standing etc..

Having said all of this, I wouldn't want Curbs. I don't think he has the experience of managing bigger players and we do have some "bigger" players. When he did get the chance at Wet Spam it didn't go to well. Equally, I am not convinced by Houllier.

[paulanddonya]

I would also say he did have a chance after Charlton.

West Ham are a bigger club, and have regularly finished top7 (and if you look over the last 10 or so years have been within one place of us a hell of a lot !)

And he didn't achieve with West Ham !

Now who knows whose fault it was, but the fact remains - he didn't !

[murfee]

in soviet russia, club manage you!

made me laff!!

[Woodytom]

Far too seriously.

Are you having a giraffe ?

I really dont know how old you are, so I will put it this way.

Alex Fergusun resigns from Man U , a guy takes over, openly says he dont give a shit about the club, players are bought who say they are only interested in their England careers and dont care what happens to the club.

And the inevitable happens and they are relegated.

You really dont know how much harm Billy McNeill and some players, including Curbishley did to this club - they left us far far worse than Leeds ever got to.

It is no understatement that if it wasn't for Graham Taylor we could be where Oxford are now (yes- rememeber, that same year they won the League Cup - knocking us out on the way !)

One of these guys then gets an interview to run us !!!!!!!!!!!

And you think I am taking it too seriously !

Jesus - I dispair !

What???

Its all yonks ago mate. Anyone (with any sense/life) whos got half a clue of what your banging on about, has passed caring. In a thread about our new manager you bring up how your still bitter about how Steve McMahon left us to die. Its called football. Players move on, are outspoken, people make mistakes. At the end of the day no ones died from it all.

[holtender4life]

Agree. Harping on about yesteryear is very tiresome. Besides, Curbishley saying that moving to vila was a mistake was reference to the regime at that time, not to do with disliking the club, he moved on for the sake of his career. Holding a grudge 27 years later is childish

[StewieGriffin]

If we were bottom half, Curbs would be a good appointment because he would achieve exactly that - top 8. But we're not. We need someone who knows what it takes to finish in the top 4. Even if he doesn't end up achieving it, we will have at least tried to do so and we will have someone of that calibre at the helm and for me that's important. We need to be continuing our attempts to climb up the league otherwise what's the point?

Been thinking something fairly similar myself for a while now - we are a top 6 team, have been for the last 3 seasons. With respect to them, we are not Wigan, Fulham, Bolton etc - we are a top 6 team. Admittedly we've ballsed up europe in the last 2 attempts, but we are the 6th best team in England.

Why, therefore, are we looking at utter averageness like Curbishley? Those teams have all changed manager since he was last employed (Bolton have twice), and not one of them were even linked with him, so why should we? Im not suggesting people should be queuing around the block from all over the continent to manage us, but surely we could attract someone better than Curbishley, Sven, Houllier or our current reserve team manager? When Spurs changed their manager (which has happened a bit over the last few years), did they go for average? No, and look where they are now. It took them a couple of managers to get it right, but they didnt fart about with the reserve coach, two guys who've been out of work 2 years, or someone who's most probably lost his hunger for the game.

As I say, we are a top 6 team in the second best league in Europe with a fantastic history and some good young players mixed in with some good experienced ones. Time to act like like it.

[Mantis]

Still think it wont be a "media name".

[paulanddonya]

Bugger off it was yonks ago !

Sorry mate, I'm gonna walk away and not get into this.

You really dont know the history of this club do you !

Yonks ago !

Next you'll be saying "its only a game !"

[holtender4life]

I hope that wasnt addressed at me as without getting into a im a better fan than you debate im almost certainly a similar age if not older than you so im fully aware of the history of aston villa thank you. Banging on about players that have left for the sake of their careers is embarrasing

[Houlston]

Bugger off it was yonks ago !

Sorry mate, I'm gonna walk away and not get into this.

You really dont know the history of this club do you !

Yonks ago !

Next you'll be saying "its only a game !"

Exactly history of the club and in this case ages ago, like someone else said do you still not buy anything German

Also youre not the guy who wrote to trading standards complaining after one of the babe cast birds flashed some clunge at 4am are you?