Confirmed: Houllier is the new Villa manager

[zeebra]

I find it unbelievable the amount of negative reponse being aimed at Houllier. I think The General put it just right when he said have a view but have respect. Houllier is a great man with a great record, and why so many people are 'searching' for negatives (and ignoring the positives) is strange...and sad. Check out these quotes from Gerard (primarily from his days at pool), I think they say a lot about him:

1. "I used to stand on the Kop when I was here in 1969. The atmosphere and passion on the pitch as well as the terraces was intoxicating and Liverpool became part of me from that day on."

2. "Our job is to make the fans happy. When we win, 45,000 people go home happy. When we lose, it not only affects them, it affects their cats."

3. "To most Liverpool supporters it won't matter if 11 Martians bring the championship back to Anfield, as long as it comes.''

4. "We don't destroy our heroes today when we worshipped them yesterday"

5. "The only pleasure I take is that the fans are happy with the team. But I don't believe in anything other than my team."

6. "I notice a former captain of ours said recently that this squad is so good that we don't need a manager. I took this as a great compliment. He must have changed his mind since leaving as he said at the time that Phil Thompson and I would drag the club down. On that point I suppose he was right - we dragged the club down to Cardiff three times in the last 10 months."

7. "You can't build a cathedral in a day. A look at the club's history tells you these things take time."

8. "We scored 127 goals - the third highest total in the club's history. Although, if you believe everything you read in the papers, 126 probably came from a breakaway from the edge of our penalty area. The other one was probably an own goal."

9. "A player needs to be a winner every day in training. Every function, every exercise, he should be striving to win. We assume they go out on match day with that attitude but I expect to see it all the time, when they are working behind closed doors."

10. "You are not sure to succeed in this job but you are absolutely certain to fail if you are not one hundred per cent committed to the job."

11. "Sometimes football can send you from the attic to the basement without the aid of a lift."

12. "A Liverpool player must play like a lion, give his all. There must be determination, commitment and resolve to be a Liverpool player."

13. "One day we will beat Manchester United. I promise you that."

14. "I don't live in the past. I live in the present and I look to the future. But I take lessons from the past."

15. "The players? country is Liverpool Football Club and their language is football."

16. "Nobody knows everything about football but I am prepared to live and die by my ideas.''

17. "I'm very demanding in terms of work and spirit. I think I'm a very nice man but I can be a very nasty man if someone is not behaving right. If someone upsets the harmony of what we are trying to do, I am 10 times nastier than anyone else."

18. "I don't want to talk about the start of something special. I'm just doing my work."

19. "I belong to a special club, I live with special people, this is a privilege, this is pure happiness."

20. "I want to keep an English heart to the team. I believe in that. Michael Owen is that. Never think Michael is afraid of anything."

21. "To me, the team is more important than any individual member of the squad, and the players have to realise that and accept that my priority is to pick a side with the best possible chance of winning each match."

22. "When I see the Bill Shankly statue, I look at the sentiment on the base. It says: 'He made the people happy.' Well now the modern Liverpool is making the fans and the city happy. And that makes me so proud."

23. "One of the things I am in the habit of saying is that the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary."

24. "All I know is my team will die for the shirt they now wear; I can promise our fans that at least."

25. "Players have responsibilities, because, whether they like it or not, they are public figures. They have to be aware that the people who come to the ground spend fortunes in relation to what they earn."

26. "My philosophy is that you must compete, you must run and fight until you have nothing left. If we don't, then people are entitled to criticise us as much as they like, because it would be totally unacceptable."

27. "If someone is not committed or not prepared to give his all, you have a problem. Believe me, though, it is one I would not tolerate for long."

28. "These players are my true heroes."

29. "I came to this club with double vision. I want this club to be the best in this country and I want this club to be the best in Europe."

30. "I feel a bit embarrassed when the fans sing my name but my name represents the team. The players are the most important people in the game. I want to share the credit with the people around me. You don't win as just one person."

31. "The Liverpool fans are something special. I have to say that the Liverpool fans have been magnificent with me and that's all that matters. The true accolade is from the fans."

32. "The atmosphere is different here from other clubs. The mutual faith between fans and the team dates back to Shankly's time. Shankly's charisma helped that relationship develop and that relationship is still valid now."

33. "The fans are more patient than the media. You don't see many games here when the fans stop singing."

[Troglodyte]

Its hard to argue with Randys decision after reading this, although not perfect he has a lot going or him and Randy would have had all this research done as well i'd imagine.

Why Houllier is right for Aston Villa

Phil McNulty | 11:03 UK time, Tuesday, 7 September 2010

General Charles Krulak called on all his years as a US Marine commander to defend Gerard Houllier - and this was even before the Frenchman walked through the doors at Villa Park as the club's new boss.

Krulak's colourful intervention on behalf of the man he has already christened "Mr H" was, however, a clear indicator that Houllier's expected announcement as Aston Villa manager has not exactly been a cause for rejoicing among the regulars.

And yet Krulak, who revels in his image as a straight shooter in his dealings with Villa supporters as owner Randy Lerner's right-hand man, hit the nail on the head when he said: "Whatever anyone thinks of him, he deserves respect from the fans of this club."

Houllier does not only deserve respect as a person, he has a record in football that also deserves respect - and this is why Lerner is in the process of making a sound choice by attempting to appoint the former Liverpool manager as successor to Martin O'Neill.

Out of those linked with the job, such as Alan Curbishley, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Ronald Koeman and Villa reserve team coach Kevin MacDonald, Houllier's record of success in England, as well as his experience and vast contacts, make him the outstanding candidate from those Lerner has targeted.

I should declare some past history here. I got to know Houllier very well during his time at Liverpool and respected his occasionally complex but always fiercely driven and totally professional approach and personality.

And, with his appointment expected to be officially confirmed on Thursday, it is worth setting the record straight as history is in danger of delivering a flawed judgement on Houllier's time at Liverpool.

In the desire to paint him as a failure at Anfield, it is worth recalling he rebuilt the entire culture and philosophy of the club after the excess - and in a football context pure waste - of the so-called 'Spice Boys' era. How could a team of such natural talents only have a Coca Cola Cup win against Bolton in 1995 to show for their gifts?

This was acknowledged by then chief executive Rick Parry on the day Houllier left Anfield in May 2004, when he said: "Gerard changed things off the pitch as well as on it, bringing back both our pride and self-respect and instilling discipline and professionalism throughout the club.".

Houllier knew a fresh approach was needed and, after the inevitable break-up of his arranged footballing marriage with Roy Evans, he provided it.

Houllier is currently the national technical director of French football

Out went those he regarded as having outlived their usefulness, such as Paul Ince, in came a new, more pragmatic approach - and one that brought serious success back to Liverpool. He was accused of building a functional as opposed to flamboyant team but the ends justified his means.

Houllier's transfer record is often criticised and even he would struggle to make a case to defend the failures of players such as El-Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou at Liverpool. Indeed, those three players are often paraded as the symbols of the beginning of the end of the Houllier era at Anfield - perhaps with some justification.

But the critics may care to remember masterstrokes, such as the signing of Sami Hyypia, a snip at £2.5m from Willem II (helped by a glowing reference from a Dutch television cameraman on a visit to Anfield), who went on to become one of the finest players and servants of the modern Liverpool era.

Stephane Henchoz was another inspirational addition to the spine of the team Houllier rebuilt. Then there was Didi Hamman, goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek and Gary McAllister.

If Houllier can recapture some of that magic in the market - and his knowledge of players has always been encyclopaedic - then the worries of the Villa faithful might just disappear.

Jamie Carragher's admiration for Houllier was evident in his presence alongside current boss Roy Hodgson on the Liverpool bench for his testimonial against Everton at Anfield on Saturday. Carragher, regarded by most as a manager of the future, revealed he would hope to model his approach on Houllier, such was his influence over his career.

And Steven Gerrard, the man Houllier appointed as Liverpool captain, also spoke glowingly about him while on England duty in Basle on Monday.

Danny Murphy was another who saw a career on the drift revitalised by Houllier to such an extent that he still flourishes for Fulham today. It is too easy to recall Houllier's failures while conveniently forgetting his successes.

Those players will also remember how Houllier fought back from the brink of death and major heart surgery in 2001 to return to Liverpool and resume his duties. How easy it would have been for him to walk away to a quiet life in France. Instead, he accepted he could not live without the game.

On another significant operational note, he also oversaw the complete overhaul of Liverpool's Melwood training base into the ulta-modern complex it is today - even helping design dressing rooms without pillars so no-one could "hide". Houllier was happy to conduct tours personally for journalists, such was his pride in the new home for his "family", as he referred to the club and his players.

And last but not least, he dealt in a currency Liverpool understands very well - success. Liverpool fans, even those who choose not to regard his reign with affection these days, will never forget 2001 and the treble capture of the Worthington Cup against Birmingham City, the FA Cup against Arsenal and the Uefa Cup against Alaves in Dortmund.

Again, Houllier's detractors pointed at "the Lucky Treble" - and admittedly the victory against Arsenal almost ranked as grand larceny when Michael Owen won an FA Cup final dominated overwhelmingly by Arsene Wenger's team - but you do not have success like that on the back of a hot streak of good fortune.

Houllier enjoys FA Cup success with Liverpool in 2001

He added the Worthington Cup again in 2003 with Liverpool's win against Manchester United in Cardiff but there was a growing sense his tenure had lost momentum after six years in charge by the time he made an amicable departure from Anfield at the end of the following season.

Houllier had become overburdened by pressure and criticism in his final season. Too many signings, such as Harry Kewell, did not come off and Liverpool were too far adrift of the title challengers for him to survive.

Kewell's free transfer arrival from Leeds United in the face of competition from Manchester United and Arsenal was greeted with the same elation as Joe Cole's recent signing by Roy Hodgson. Instead, the Australian was a desperate failure at Anfield.

This does not mean Houllier himself should be regarded as a failure. Many of the same players won the Champions League against AC Milan the following year, although no-one can deny Rafael Benitez also brilliantly plotted a course through that campaign.

And there is even a case to be made that he left a better side for Benitez than Benitez subsequently left for Hodgson.

Villa fans might show some understandable concern that these achievements were a lifetime ago in Premier League terms but Houllier has hardly been a man with his finger away from football's pulse.

He won the French title twice at Lyon before stepping down in May 2007 and has since travelled all over the world watching the game in his role with the French Football Federation.

Houllier is in good health and his interest in Villa confirms he retains the desire to succeed in club management even though he has just celebrated his 63rd birthday. His great friends Hodgson and England coach Fabio Capello are 63 and 64 respectively and no-one can question their enduring passion for the game.

He will bring meticulous planning and an almost slavish attention to the details of tactics and preparation to Villa Park should he arrive. After once asking Houllier to help with a rundown of teams for the 2002 World Cup in Japan, I arrived at his Melwood office to find him armed with pages of notes detailing his thoughts on the qualities or otherwise of each side in the tournament. Lack of preparation was not an option.

Villa's players will want for nothing in the pursuit of success, although they must buy into Houllier's team ethic and approach or there will be no future for them.

Houllier must also be in full control of football matters. Sitting in the directors' box watching others exert authority in the dugout will not be for him.

He has had plenty of approaches in recent years. He has been linked with jobs at club and international level and remains a hugely respected figure within football's worldwide community. Houllier always wanted a club that could satisfy his ambitions, which are aimed firmly at success, and he clearly believes Villa is a club that can match those aspirations.

An insight into Houllier's approach to football came when he was advised by some to retire from football after his serious illness, responding: "Football is my life and my oxygen and I don't want to live without it."

Now it looks like his next mission will be to breathe fresh life into Aston Villa.

Been posted before i think...

Great article.

[Amsterdam_Neil_D]

Get a grip...it is only football....I love Villa also but blimey you obvioulsy have a SERIOUS void in your life if you think of Villa 100 times a day.

Be happy supporting a great club come rain or shine...or are you just a GloryHunter?

7 posts hmmm !!

Insinuating I am a glory hunter (good one)! So I am a glory hunting Villa fan now ? So you want us not to win things then, what a surprise.

VOIDs, You have time to post on local rival teams boards about other fans posts and you tell me about VOIDs, lol. Some people on VT post 100's or even 1000's of posts a week. Small Heath is that way >>>>>>>>>>

:cry:

[andyh]

Get a grip...it is only football....I love Villa also but blimey you obvioulsy have a SERIOUS void in your life if you think of Villa 100 times a day.

Be happy supporting a great club come rain or shine...or are you just a GloryHunter?

With respect, that is complete bollox.

I can honestly say that my thoughts about The Villa are pretty much constant.

Despite being married, having kids, working, worrying about the mortgage and other the other shit we deal with on a day to day basis, I still find time to think about The Villa all the time.

i would say that MOST fans are the same.

[CVByrne]

Having a look at his transfer record in more detail. His cheap signings early on at liverpool were rather good. It's only in the latter years when they tried to kick on from 2nd in 2002 did he make an absolute balls of it by signing players based on world cup performances.

At villa he won't have much to spend and we have a very decent squad assembled. He also is a counter attacking manager so his style matches Martins down to a T.

The more I spend analyzing him and his record the less worried I am. Maybe the break from management will see him reinvigorated and let's hope he's learned from his mistakes at liverpool. As you don't learn much walking the french league with a team as dominant as Lyon were.

I'm really hoping for instant results and less up and down unstable performances.

[Jez]

Having a look at his transfer record in more detail. His cheap signings early on at liverpool were rather good. It's only in the latter years when they tried to kick on from 2nd in 2002 did he make an absolute balls of it by signing players based on world cup performances.

At villa he won't have much to spend and we have a very decent squad assembled. He also is a counter attacking manager so his style matches Martins down to a T.

The more I spend analyzing him and his record the less worried I am. Maybe the break from management will see him reinvigorated and let's hope he's learned from his mistakes at liverpool. As you don't learn much walking the french league with a team as dominant as Lyon were.

I'm really hoping for instant results and less up and down unstable performances.

You should be less worried

Who has achieved more in the game, our previous manager or our new manager?

[gabbygabbygabbygabbygabby]

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.

[GaztonVilla]

At this point, I'd like to thank TheTrees for, yet again, using his knowledge to keep us all ahead of the game.

I'll take some of his credit off him, though, cos I was the first to do the "Gerard Houllier Corsica" google search

[daft]

At this point, I'd like to thank TheTrees for, yet again, using his knowledge to keep us all ahead of the game.

I'll take some of his credit off him, though, cos I was the first to do the "Gerard Houllier Corsica" google search

Forgot about that snippet of information to be honest. Good call and Kudos to you both!

[Cracker1234]

SSN just said they will go to their reporter at Villa Park soon...I wonder if that's just to catch up on what is happening/hold up or they have something to report.

[paulanddonya]

a)

Brilliant quotes above. Exactly the guy I want at the Villa - reminds me of GT that does.

think of Villa 100 times a day - you joking mate - I think of Villa EVERY MINUTE of the day. I have kids, I have a very responsible job (which I will be leaving for when I have posted this) , I have other interests - but when I am doing all the above - I am thinking , discussing, arguing about the Villa.

Now bog off bag to Small Heath ! - 7 posts since 2007 = do you erally think we are thick !

[TrentVilla]

do you erally think we are thick !

Really not the time for a typo! :winkold:

[Cracker1234]

do you erally think we are thick !

Really not the time for a typo! :winkold:

"I chuckled"

[GaztonVilla]

Villa_Insider says its done.. 3 year contract.

[Cracker1234]

wooooooooooooooooT

[SlimJim]

The MON is dead...long live the GED!

[daft]

Welcome Mr Houllier. Happy to have you aboard. Now lets win something (we can start with the next game)!

[Cracker1234]

#AVFC Gerard Houllier is Aston Villa's new manager, replacing Martin O'Neill on a 3 year contract.

2 minutes ago via Echofon

#AVFC Here we go. It starts. Houllier is in town.

7 minutes ago via Echofon

Didn't take long a whole 5 mins from tweet to tweet

[GaztonVilla]

Bienvenue Gerard

[MikePreece]

I find it unbelievable the amount of negative reponse being aimed at Houllier. I think The General put it just right when he said have a view but have respect. Houllier is a great man with a great record, and why so many people are 'searching' for negatives (and ignoring the positives) is strange...and sad. Check out these quotes from Gerard (primarily from his days at pool), I think they say a lot about him:

Totally agree, its embarrasing being a Villa fan sometimes, because all they do is moan, you get the usual idiots calling talksport like the one yesterday who said holuier was a cheap option and has done nothing in this country (apart from the 5 throphies). We are never going to attract the likes of Mourinho,Houlier is proberly the best we can get. I totally agree with the general too, you need to get behind the new manager and respect him!