Houllier - released from contract with FFF

[AshVilla]

Sounds to me like the frenchman is waving the white flag already before the battle has even begun and a cannon has been fired.

[Daholteend]

AshVilla, I would bet that you won't see 4-4-2 at the Britannia from K-Mac .I think he was stunned at St James to the extent he won't try that again.

[Jon]

Some people get worked up over nothing....So what if he has said that...it doesn't mean that's what we're aiming for.

Are you for real?

I think he must have cracker'd up! :winkold:

[Cracker1234]

Well does it give the date when he said that? He could have said that before he took over...Yet no, people react to the media.

If it was from the French paper article you don't know what was asked for him to say that....I just don't understand why people are getting so worked up.

[avfc89]

I never appreciate the brown nosing that any new appointment at a football club does, whoever, I also don't appreciate our new manager playing down the club with a downright lie.

Idiot.

If we are being honest, difficult as it is to accept, Liverpool have had better success in the last forty five years than ourselves.

I still believe we've got great potential to become a massive club, and I hope this cause is aided by GH's management.

Although, I will say it isn't advisable to make a statement such as this when first appointed at a new football club.

[philthevillan]

I am concerned that he doesn't realise the expectation we fans have. I am also concerned he hasn't done his homework. While he was at Liverpool we finished sixth twice and our overall Premier League record has seen us finish top six 50% of the time.

But to say we are not at the same level as Liverpool is true. When was the last time we signed a player of the calibre of Torres? Do we have the same global appeal? No. When have we been in the Champions League in it's current format? Never.

We need to accept that we have some catching up to do and I believe finishing above Liverpool should be one of our targets this year. Houllier may be wrong about our natural position but he is right to point out that it will take a big effort to put ourselves ahead of the Scousers.

[ryanvilla_1994]

What a great statement by our new manager, great way to get the fans backing ....

[Hanky]

If it was from the French paper article you don't know what was asked for him to say that....I just don't understand why people are getting so worked up.

It's the inaccuracy of the statement for me. I'm not really bothered by the Liverpool bit because he is right there (although did that need to be mentioned), but the 7th-12th being the norm which just simply isn't true.

[Chindie]

I never appreciate the brown nosing that any new appointment at a football club does, whoever, I also don't appreciate our new manager playing down the club with a downright lie.

Idiot.

If we are being honest, difficult as it is to accept, Liverpool have had better success in the last forty five years than ourselves.

I still believe we've got great potential to become a massive club, and I hope this cause is aided by GH's management.

Although, I will say it isn't advisable to make a statement such as this when first appointed at a new football club.

I don't care about the Liverpool being a massive club bit, that's blindingly obvious.

I care about that 7th to 12th bit. Not only is that entirely wrong, it's probably the grouping of positions we least belong in, why the **** would you say that about that club you've just took over?

A moronic statement.

[Hughes]

If it was from the French paper article you don't know what was asked for him to say that....I just don't understand why people are getting so worked up.

It's the inaccuracy of the statement for me. I'm not really bothered by the Liverpool bit because he is right there (although did that need to be mentioned), but the 7th-12th being the norm which just simply isn't true.

if you look at the "all seasons" table here; http://www.premierleague.com/page/Statistics/0,,12306,00.html

you will find that it is indeed not true and that Mr H has started off his tenure by pissing off a lot of the fans, me included. Jeeesus, it could almost not be a worse statement, if that is what is actually said.

[NormandyVillan]

If we are being honest, difficult as it is to accept, Liverpool have had better success in the last forty five years than ourselves.

Anyone who had difficulty accepting that would be a serious contender for being the most deluded football fan on the planet!

[JPAngel]

I've been excited about Houllier for a good while, even defending him against some harsh criticisms from friends and family, but this? This is going to be hard to defend. Especially as it's royally pissed me off too!

How dare he refer to us as a mid-table club. rocket polisher.

[Rodders]

such a hoohar over nothing again. Still, keep going lads, lets hope we can force him to quit and we can start the hunt again! wait for the next manager - or board person to say something that can be taken out of context.

**** OFF KRULAK

**** OFF LERNER

**** OFF HOULLIER

**** OFF ?

who is the next target in line? The excitement is getting to me!

[drat01]

Some absolutely stupid comments on VT - something that is becoming the norm it would seem.

Yes we are a club that has "belonged" between 12th and 7th, but he does not say that is where we will finish nor does he understate what has gone on before. We are a mid table club, we are not champs league, we have not won any silver wear for a very long time now, its about realistic expectation setting. We have finished 1, thats 1 place above 7th for the past few seasons, so he is not way off the mark about what the club should be about.

Liverpool, as much as we may dislike them, have consistently finished in Champs league places and have won trophies. Their support base is worldwide and they are a bigger club than us (at the moment) - again nothing controversial in what he has said.

"But, above all, it's a historic club which has won the European Cup. It's a club which has got good infrastructure and a fine team which is after one thing – to improve year on year."

Now actually read the last bit of that - improve year on year - that is what he wants to do. No mention of accepting 12-7th as being that's it no higher or lower.

There are rules in football as to when you can start in your new jobs, you know certain little things like contracts etc. If he still has things to finish with the FFF, who have released him from that contract, then so be it. I suspect that he is already getting info from the club in terms of what he needs to do the job.

Calm down, far too early to throwing any punches at the bloke

[limvillian]

Of course Liverpool are historically and globally a much bigger club than us but why did he even have to mention Liverpool?

[hutchavfc]

I think the wider public (non-villa fans) do perceive us as just that, mid-table. Its just us that think we should be at least a top 6 side if not more because of who we are. Don't get me wrong I know the statistics and where we are (or have been) but these comments that wind us up is how we are seen as a football club.

[Amsterdam_Neil_D]

Forget about it, slip of the tongue. What is our average finish since 82 anyway ? Is he that far off considering the relegation as well.

I am past caring about words, I only care about points these days.

[avfc89]

I never appreciate the brown nosing that any new appointment at a football club does, whoever, I also don't appreciate our new manager playing down the club with a downright lie.

Idiot.

If we are being honest, difficult as it is to accept, Liverpool have had better success in the last forty five years than ourselves.

I still believe we've got great potential to become a massive club, and I hope this cause is aided by GH's management.

Although, I will say it isn't advisable to make a statement such as this when first appointed at a new football club.

I don't care about the Liverpool being a massive club bit, that's blindingly obvious.

I care about that 7th to 12th bit. Not only is that entirely wrong, it's probably the grouping of positions we least belong in, why the **** would you say that about that club you've just took over?

A moronic statement.

Sorry. He could have been misquoted, I wouldn't worry too much about that comment.

[Cracker1234]

Of course Liverpool are historically and globally a much bigger club than us but why did he even have to mention Liverpool?

Do you know what questions he was asked?

[drat01]

Of course Liverpool are historically and glabally a much bigger club than us but why did he even have to mention Liverpool?

Because he was probably asked about them !! - the whole article is a paraphrase of a much longer interview no doubt. One where he would have been asked something along the lines about differences between Liverpool job and the one he has taken now with us. It isn't rocket science all of this and some people are just reading the so called "quotes" as all that was said and looking for negatives immediately.

This is all so silly now