Confirmed: Houllier is the new Villa manager

[misanthrope]

What's more important? That we might sign a few shite Frenchmen or that we might win a few trophies? People seem hell-bent on criticising someone who wins things. It must be very therapeutic for them but Villa live in the real world and, if we get him, we will have hired above ourselves IMO.

We aren't going to win trophies by signing shite Frenchmen because we don't have Owen, Gerrard and Carragher waiting for a team built around them. He had the makings of a title winning side there and failed to surround them with anywhere near the same level of talent.

You lost me at Carragher.

[NeilS]

What's more important? That we might sign a few shite Frenchmen or that we might win a few trophies? People seem hell-bent on criticising someone who wins things. It must be very therapeutic for them but Villa live in the real world and, if we get him, we will have hired above ourselves IMO.

I agree, I don't recall Villa ever hiring a manager in the past who has won as much silverware in their career. Fingers crossed that he may add to that tally in his time here.

[stewiek2]

As far as I'm aware, MacDonald and Thompson played together at Liverpool under Joe Fagan. And as for Thomo saying we played above ourselves under MON, I'd say he is right in some ways. The results we got playing the shite football we did mostly for the last 2 1/2 seasons shows that results to style ratio, damn right we did! Hell, you COULD say that our current league position, considering the performances in two of those games, is 'above ourselves.'

People are giving Thompson shite because he is and outsider having a pop at us recently, when really alot have been saying the same on this and other forums over a period too. Get real people, he did a very good job with Houllier at plop, and, when he had to step up to teh plate when GH fell ill, did an outstanding job under the circumstances.

We are getting (potentially) a manager and assistant who between them have won a bucketload of trophies, and their so-called failure at Liverpool we'd have given our right arms to emulate!

Sure, my personal number choice was, and will always be Moyes. However that looks a no no. Randy for me has looked and decided he can't get the man he originally wanted, and I guess he is as frustrated as the rest of us at that. So he has decided to steady the ship and you know what, I think Houllier has something to prove.

And thank **** it's not Curbishley, Bradley, or some of the others on the list!!!

[Guus]

I'm willing to give GH a chance.

Even if you do get the manager everyone wants and who is supposedly the best candidate, its still no guarantee of success.

[redrum]

houllier's transfer history with lierpool was disgraceful. hope he turns down the job

[claret75]

What's more important? That we might sign a few shite Frenchmen or that we might win a few trophies? People seem hell-bent on criticising someone who wins things. It must be very therapeutic for them but Villa live in the real world and, if we get him, we will have hired above ourselves IMO.

We aren't going to win trophies by signing shite Frenchmen because we don't have Owen, Gerrard and Carragher waiting for a team built around them. He had the makings of a title winning side there and failed to surround them with anywhere near the same level of talent.

Our first team is PLENTY good enough to win trophies with, if they click with the manager.

[Cracker1234]

houllier's transfer history with lierpool was disgraceful. hope he turns down the job

He made some cracking signings also, but I guess you only see the bad ones he made.

MON didn't make bad signings?

[Leftside]

phil thomson maybe doesnt come accross as a particulary nice guy,but he is a winner and he hates losing.

Only worry is i have just read brad friedels book and he could not stand phil thomson so that could be interesting.

[markavfc40]

Only worry is i have just read brad friedels book and he could not stand phil thomson so that could be interesting.

What kind of things did he say about him?

[BOF]

In defence of GH's perceived poor record in the transfer market.

From a mate of mine.

He also brought in Hyppia who was the best defender we had since the late 80's and bringing in Gary MacAllister was inspired. Marcus Babbel was probably the best right back we've had in 20 years. Didi Hamann was a great signing also. Signing Stéphane Henchoz in his first season to partner Hyppia was a great signing also. Carragher was a bit part player before Houllier arrived and he developed him into a first XI player.

[Maradona10]

Let's forget his transfer history at least until January!

[Jon]

Pants.

[Cracker1234]

Only worry is i have just read brad friedels book and he could not stand phil thomson so that could be interesting.

What kind of things did he say about him?

Negative vibes from Thompson A good coach knows which players will respond well to being challenged and which need to be treated with kid gloves. For Phil Thompson, this was too fine a distinction. He was like a workplace bully, ranting when things went wrong, often using the most foul and abusive language. The foreign players at Liverpool had never known anything like it.

It was all ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’, put over in a way that was belittling or humiliating. That was a sure way to make people mistrust you. Don’t think I have a complete distaste for Phil Thompson. I admire any player who has had the success he enjoyed. The trouble with negativity is that it breeds only one thing: more negativity.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/paul_kimmage/article5822363.ece

Very much like people on here at times. Negativity breeding more negativity.

[Richard]

Something that concerns me is that Houllier is not generally regarded as a man manager yet, according to some, we only have players of a specific nature at the club. That is they were bought by the previous manager as some sort of experiment if you will, players not of the best standard but ones he could polish to try and get the best out of. Players that need man managing, yet we appear to have a manager who does not possess that skill?

[DeadlyDirk]

Well, I for one will be 100% behind Houllier, we've won nothing of significance since the 95/96 season, and to get a manager whose won trophies at the last few clubs he's been at, well, I'm all for hoping he succeeds at Villa too..... Lets get behind the guy if he ends up managing our club....

[Cracker1234]

Something that concerns me is that Houllier is not generally regarded as a man manager yet, according to some, we only have players of a specific nature at the club. That is they were bought by the previous manager as some sort of experiment if you will, players not of the best standard but ones he could polish to try and get the best out of. Players that need man managing, yet we appear to have a manager who does not possess that skill?

We don't have a manager YET.

What's wrong with the coaching staff doing the man managing if that's not a skill that our soon to be new manager don't possess?

[Richard]

Something that concerns me is that Houllier is not generally regarded as a man manager yet, according to some, we only have players of a specific nature at the club. That is they were bought by the previous manager as some sort of experiment if you will, players not of the best standard but ones he could polish to try and get the best out of. Players that need man managing, yet we appear to have a manager who does not possess that skill?

We don't have a manager YET.

What's wrong with the coaching staff doing the man managing if that's not a skill that our soon to be new manager don't possess?

What does he do then?

[claret75]

Houllier will at least get the respect of the players and will probably still be able to attract good players to the club, that's if he's not just a stop gap measure.

Plus he looks like my Nan, which gets the for me.

At last someone comes up with a logical reason why we are intersted in Houllier.

Id been strongly against the appointment - but the fact that he looks like clarets nan is softening the blow.

Yeah, tbh, him being a dead ringer for Nanny Myra bodes well for everyone connected with the club.

[villa89]

if we get him, we will have hired above ourselves IMO.

if we get him, we would not have hired above ourselves IMO. Given his C.V. I can't imagine him being a contender for any club above our level. We're about as good as he could do. I have been talking to the French guy in work who follows french football and he's been saying Houillier is rubbish.

[Stephen_Evans]

Isn't GH the man who masterminded FIVE successive wins over Manchester United? (Or am I making that up?)