SiDanger Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Neither! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanky Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 However, one of his strongest assets is building the infrastructure at teams. He was a major influence behind the French set-up at Clairefontaine, which was recognised as one of the main reasons behind the successes in 1998 and 2000. He also oversaw the complete overhaul of Liverpool’s training complex, turning it into a state-of-the-art modern complex that is the envy of many a club. Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground is already amongst the best, but Houllier is likely to improve it further with the support of Randy Lerner. I don't think a lot can argue that Houllier knows about the game IMO. It's the fact that his time was over last season and he had very bad health problems. It was in everyone's interests he left the club. I thought we were poor under Houllier, didn't like the way we threw in the towel in some games before the match had begun (and I'm not just talking about the Man City cup game by fielding a weakened side. That said I'm not happy with McLeish either. For a person who is supposed to go into great detail in his preparation he failed to drum into the players to get tighter to their man. The amount of space we gave Newcastle and then Bolton is very worrying. We have to improve on Sunday or QPR will turn us over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VamosMiAstonVilla Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 steaknchips, you're wasting your time with this lot mate. It's embedded within British culture to accept mediocrity so it's no surprise this extends to our fan-base. The fact they'd stick up for Dunne, Collins and Gabby over Houllier says it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bose Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Discussing whether Houllier should have continued is useless. He had to go because of his health and that should be the end of that. The fact is his health wouldn't have let him continue so it's a moot point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_John_10 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 steaknchips, you're wasting your time with this lot mate. It's embedded within British culture to accept mediocrity so it's no surprise this extends to our fan-base. The fact they'd stick up for Dunne, Collins and Gabby over Houllier says it all. If we'd accept mediocrity then surely we'd have been happy with houllier. The fact we wanted him gone shows we weren't willing to accept becoming a joke under his management. Also why did we have to pay him off if he wasn't fit? And being the honourable professional he is why didn't he quit knowing he was well enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VamosMiAstonVilla Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 He wanted to carry on, he had a contract. If I was off work ill..then came back wanting to carry on and the company said no I'd expect a pay-out too, otherwise I would sue their arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 23, 2011 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2011 The fact they'd stick up for Dunne, Collins and Gabby over Houllier says it all. And show me where people defended Dunne and Collins, Houllier didn't go far enough with them for what they did. Not even dropped. And that really was a majority opinion at the time. Gabby on the other hand didn't moan once, he just got on with the job of being played completely out of position by a buffoon, he only said how it was last season after the fact, Not one hint of dissent from Gabby while Houllier was in charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VamosMiAstonVilla Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 What about Gabby's recent ramblings at goings on? Most were saying he was right and Houllier is a word removed etc If Gabby had taken the teachings on board he may have improved like Ash and Downing did. Instead he will always be mediocre. Gabby, Dunne and Collins are obviously not the types to go that little bit extra or stay after training. Houllier found them out straight away. Houllier wanted people 100% dedicated and committed to the cause , to be obsessed and passionate like he was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaAndLoyal Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 But you said he was a great professional? Why didn’t he act like one? Why did the club have to force him? He didn’t act with great dignity on that night; and he certainly had previous on this. He is a top manager...Not a TV personality. I dont care that he makes blunders in the press..All I know is that behind the scenes he is a mastermind in his work. He can coasch players to be world class = proven...He can turn a average looking footballing nation into a world class footballing nation = proven. I dont give a monkey's toss how he comes accross on the TV or in the press...All I care about is Aston Villa being a top club again...This man was the closest thing we had...It may not come around again now for along time. You dont throw away an opportunity just because he isnt great in the media or on TV.. What an absolute load of drivel. You said he was a great professional, and then said you don't care about how he portrays this club in the media? Which one is it? Because you aren't making sense. Was it professional to have a slanging match in the media with John Carew? Were his actions professional throughout the Liverpool debacle? Was it professional to effectively forfeit a cup match despite saying you really wanted to win before it? I could go on. You say "all in know is behind the scenes is he is a mastermind in his work" - do you? How? Are you a Villa insider or something? If not, you are purely speculating and you don't actually know anything. His contract was terminated, apart from his ill health, because he clearly wasn't right for the job. So stop kidding yourself that we somehow threw away the greatest thing to ever happen to Aston Villa - you're surely on a wind-up? Last season was a joke in every sense, largely because of Gerard in one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I really enjoy reading this thread and the rewriting of history in regards to Houllier by a couple of posters. What makes it so enjoyable though is the fact that the over the hill, useless, disrespectful clown who served up some of the most gutless tripe I have had the displeasure to witness in my 30 odd years following this great club is gone and isn't ever coming back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob182 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I really enjoy reading this thread and the rewriting of history in regards to Houllier by a couple of posters. This. But I'm on the other side of the argument. You'd think Houllier killed a villa fan, the way most people talk about him. YES, we were in a relegation scrap, but so were 6 or 7 teams. If we'd been 7th for the whole season, then dropped down to 9th/10th, people wouldn't be crying as much as they are now. I'm happy we've got McLeish, he will tighten the defence and we'll have another gritty team, who'll fight for a win, like we did under MON. However, I really would have liked Houllier to have a pre-season, a summer transfer window and a season to see how he does with his tactics/ coaching embedded in (as opposed to being dropped into the frame without any pre-season). Either way, what is the point of this thread? Houllier's gone. He's not coming back. The people who thought he could do well, will get told "but he didn't!!!!11"... the people who hated him will be told "But he COULD have!!!!11"... It'll go round in circles forever. I say.. LOCK IT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.I.C.O. Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I really enjoy reading this thread and the rewriting of history in regards to Houllier by a couple of posters. What makes it so enjoyable though is the fact that the over the hill, useless, disrespectful clown who served up some of the most gutless tripe I have had the displeasure to witness in my 30 odd years following this great club is gone and isn't ever coming back. Amen to that. Houllier was a disaster and a disgrace to the club. I hope he has a happy retirement but that it is as far away from this club as possible. If he were still in charge the man would have achieved this season what he nearly did last season - take us down. McLeish for me, every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I really enjoy reading this thread and the rewriting of history in regards to Houllier by a couple of posters. What makes it so enjoyable though is the fact that the over the hill, useless, disrespectful clown who served up some of the most gutless tripe I have had the displeasure to witness in my 30 odd years following this great club is gone and isn't ever coming back. and for that, I daily rejoice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 If he were still in charge the man would have achieved this season what he nearly did last season - take us down. McLeish for me, every time. There is no guarantee that this manager wouldn't do the same either.. I mean his track record speaks itself in terms of relegations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super-Villan Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 This poll is like asking an ambidextrous man whether he'd prefer you to cut off his right hand or his left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 With regard to Houllier these are the facts as I see them. He took over a team that had just had its best ever 38 game season in terms of points. A team that had finished top 6 three times on the spin for the first time in over 50 years. A team that had been in the mix for a top 4 finish until the last couple of games of the previous season. A team that had been to a League cup final and a FA Cup semi. A team that had just finished with the 4th best defensive record in the league. We had lost Milner, gained Ireland and youngsters such as Clark, Albrighton, Bannan, Delfouneso were a year further forward in their development. Now given all of the above he then over saw either being in the bottom three or with in just a few points of it for the best part of 6 months. He surrendered the FA Cup after fielding a weekend side as he believed we couldn't have won the game against Man City even at full strength. He had us serving up in the main gutless tripe with the games against Liverpool and Man City away ( twice ) and Wolves and Sunderland at home the most gutless displays I have seen from a Villa side closely followed by the tripe served up against Arsenal, Spurs, Sha at home and Blackburn and Blackpool away. He had us losing to Sha, Albion and Wolves in the same season for the first time in over 50 years. He fell out with or alienated a large section of the squad and failed to get anyting like the best out of the majority of the players. He claimed that our defensive woes had **** all to do with him and were not something he could improve until the end of the season ( a defence that had done very well the previous season conceding just 39 goals and just 14 in the 18 games that made up the second half of the season the 19th game being a freak result against Chelsea where we conceded 7 ). Of course it should also not be forgotten that Houllier committed the most disrespectful act I have had the displeasure to witness in my 30+ years following this great club when standing at Anfield freezing my bollocks off amongst 1800 other Villa fans who had just out sung Houlliers beloved Kop despite having been beaten 3-0 and served up gutless tripe we then had to witness the manager of our great club lord it in front of the Kop whilst completely ignoring us - the fans of the club he managed. The guy was an over the hill disrespectful joke and he, or should I say we, should just be thankful we were in a position to give him potentially 24 mill in January to spend on Bent to help dig us out of the shit he had gotten us into. Houllier would not have coped with having to work to a transfer budget that has seen us having to bring in 24mill more than we have spent. The guy simply could not manage with out money to spend and he had already shown that he could not get the best out of the vast majority of the players. A Villa under Houllier with no Young and Downing and **** all to spend is a frightening thought and one thankfully we are not going to have to witness. I am under no illusions that this season will be tough but under Houllier it would have been an absolute nightmare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Houllier was like a guitar teacher trying to make someone unlearn years of bad habits. If they carry on they get bad RSI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 23, 2011 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2011 What about Gabby's recent ramblings at goings on? Most were saying he was right and Houllier is a word removed etc If Gabby had taken the teachings on board he may have improved like Ash and Downing did. Instead he will always be mediocre. Gabby, Dunne and Collins are obviously not the types to go that little bit extra or stay after training. Houllier found them out straight away. Houllier wanted people 100% dedicated and committed to the cause , to be obsessed and passionate like he was. Clearly once again, you haven't actually read what was said, as your post bears no relation to mine that you were responding to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_John_10 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 He wanted to carry on, he had a contract. If I was off work ill..then came back wanting to carry on and the company said no I'd expect a pay-out too, otherwise I would sue their arse. Only a few days ago houllier said he is about 85% recovered and will never manage in football again. So you expect me to believe that 4 months ago he was coming back from illness fit and ready to go? The honourable, respectful houllier knew exactly what he was doing to make sure he got as much money as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 23, 2011 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2011 You'd think Houllier killed a villa fan, the way most people talk about him. He killed most Villa fans ambition last season, that in itself is enough. The gutless tripe he served up and constantly blaming someone else tactic, never apologising for a thing, pretty much did for most of us in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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