Why Lambert will be a Success

[TRO]

I am always dubious when managers have spent their better years at another club or have made their main mark at another club....your alwayd getting an adopted version.

Houlliers club always was Liverpool.

Ron Saunders earned his spurs at other clubs and made his mark with us, his peg was put in our ground.

I believe the same to be with Lambert, he has earnt his spurs at other clubs, AVFC is now the platform to make his mark/name.

All things being equal, the next challenge for us, is keeping him.

[Mantis]

I am always dubious when managers have spent their better years at another club or have made their main mark at another club....your alwayd getting an adopted version.

Houlliers club always was Liverpool.

Ron Saunders earned his spurs at other clubs and made his mark with us, his peg was put in our ground.

I believe the same to be with Lambert, he has earnt his spurs at other clubs, AVFC is now the platform to make his mark/name.

All things being equal, the next challenge for us, is keeping him.

Let's not be too hasty. There's no guarantee he will be a success here, although the signs are good so far.

[SolihullVilla]

Mantis, why do fans not like Houllier, well If you went to Liverpool away the season he was in charge he clapped the kop and didn't even acknowledge the travelling fans, also touching the famous Liverpool sign on the way out. He lost it for me then.

[Mantis]

Mantis, why do fans not like Houllier, well If you went to Liverpool away the season he was in charge he clapped the kop and didn't even acknowledge the travelling fans, also touching the famous Liverpool sign on the way out. He lost it for me then.

I never asked why fans don't like him, I was asking why some seem to think he's worse than McLeish.

[redrum]

Mantis, why do fans not like Houllier, well If you went to Liverpool away the season he was in charge he clapped the kop and didn't even acknowledge the travelling fans, also touching the famous Liverpool sign on the way out. He lost it for me then.

I never asked why fans don't like him, I was asking why some seem to think he's worse than McLeish.

I rate them as equally bad nightmares.

Houllier(like McLeish) completely destroyed team spirit. From one a team's spirit is gone, that's it. It like going to work in a job you hate, your performance will never be the best.

He also insulted his current club like no manager I've ever seen in the past.

Even the fact that we had to wait , what was it, two weeks for him to turn up. everything about him stunk.

[Mantis]

Mantis, why do fans not like Houllier, well If you went to Liverpool away the season he was in charge he clapped the kop and didn't even acknowledge the travelling fans, also touching the famous Liverpool sign on the way out. He lost it for me then.

I never asked why fans don't like him, I was asking why some seem to think he's worse than McLeish.

I rate them as equally bad nightmares.

How on Earth can you rate them as equally bad? Now I'm not saying Houllier was not that bad (IMO he wasn't, but I can see why many would think that) but how can not be better than McLeish? McLeish was probably the worst Villa manager in history bar McNeil.

[redrum]

answered above - team spirit was killed by the manager

Now I'm not saying Houllier was not that bad (IMO he wasn't, .

that's why I don't take any of your posts seriously

[ryanvilla_1994]

I didn't think it could get much worse than Houllier but Mcleish was just that. Both clueless clearings in the woods. As Trent said imagine if we had got a decent manager in 2 years ago.

[Houlston]

So I reckon Lambert will do well, very pleased with him.

[Mantis]

answered above - team spirit was killed by the manager

That's what McLeish did as well, except under him we were even more gutless and finished 16th instead of 9th.

that's why I don't take any of your posts seriously

It seems you have a problem accepting other people have opinions that differ from your own.

[smetrov]

Lamberts our manager now.....what went before is history. I prefer to look forward. I won't profess to know much about the players signed - but at face value they seem to be decent players for the money spent....I think we already have a more solid look to our squad.

What we really need is one of our starlets to really dazzle.. I am hoping it will be Gary Gardner.

[jonno_2004]

If we didn't have two of our better players of the last 10 years playing for a move at the arse-end of Houllier's reign we could have well ended up in the same place we did under McLeish. Houllier was no better and his comments throughout the season were nothing short of a disgrace, it was also no surprise that McAllister was in charge when we had a run of games that saw us safe. With the benefit of hindsight, the only reason I'd have kept him on would be so that we didn't have to put up with our next manager. Two years in Villa's history that could do with not being spoken of again.

No better than McLeish? I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I honestly don't care how low people rate him, but to put him (or anyone) on the same level as McLeish is just absurd and wrong.

He somehow managed to achieve similar performances (and that was with Ashley Young and Stewart Downing), as well as making ridiculous statements in the media. Defence of either manager is futile.

[bannedfromHandV]

If we didn't have two of our better players of the last 10 years playing for a move at the arse-end of Houllier's reign we could have well ended up in the same place we did under McLeish. Houllier was no better and his comments throughout the season were nothing short of a disgrace, it was also no surprise that McAllister was in charge when we had a run of games that saw us safe. With the benefit of hindsight, the only reason I'd have kept him on would be so that we didn't have to put up with our next manager. Two years in Villa's history that could do with not being spoken of again.

No better than McLeish? I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I honestly don't care how low people rate him, but to put him (or anyone) on the same level as McLeish is just absurd and wrong.

He somehow managed to achieve similar performances (and that was with Ashley Young and Stewart Downing), as well as making ridiculous statements in the media. Defence of either manager is futile.

Jeez, this is like arguing whether it's better to be shot at point blank range in the left or right eye!

[Mantis]

If we didn't have two of our better players of the last 10 years playing for a move at the arse-end of Houllier's reign we could have well ended up in the same place we did under McLeish. Houllier was no better and his comments throughout the season were nothing short of a disgrace, it was also no surprise that McAllister was in charge when we had a run of games that saw us safe. With the benefit of hindsight, the only reason I'd have kept him on would be so that we didn't have to put up with our next manager. Two years in Villa's history that could do with not being spoken of again.

No better than McLeish? I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I honestly don't care how low people rate him, but to put him (or anyone) on the same level as McLeish is just absurd and wrong.

He somehow managed to achieve similar performances (and that was with Ashley Young and Stewart Downing), as well as making ridiculous statements in the media. Defence of either manager is futile.

Performances (for the most part) were way better under Houllier. Not good, but better than McLeish. Err, McLeish made ridiculous statements in the media too. At the end of the day, we finish 9th with one and 16th with the other.

[SolihullVilla]

Don't gee wrong Mcleish was crap, however Houllier was as bad, he inherited a better team and had more money to spend

[Mantis]

He wasn't as bad. He inherited a better team but don't forget he didn't have Bent until late January. McLeish had Bent for most of the season yet still managed to have us score the second least amount of goals in the league.

[SolihullVilla]

Both if them are shite mate, simple, Houllier insulted the club at Liverpool that night. Mcleish was a shit manager but at least was proud to have the job.

[markavfc40]

[ At the end of the day, we finish 9th with one and 16th with the other.

Your rewriting history somewhat. We didn't finish 9th under Houllier. He wasn't manager for 10 games. In his 28 games in charge we took 33 points - 1.17 points per game. In the 10 games he wasn't around we took 15 points - 1.50 points per game.

Like many others have said arguing over who was worse out of Houllier or McLeish is pointless as they were in their own ways equally as bad. Houllier was well past his use by date, inherited a far better squad of players, had 30 mill to spend and went on to disrespect this great club and its fantastic supporters on numerous occasions whilst his team produced gutless tripe on the pitch and at times went out accepting defeat before a ball had been kicked due to the managers attitude.

McLeish was just out of his depth and the final nail in his coffin was having to sell off our two best players, losing two other very good players in Friedel and Luke Young and then being given less than half what he had brought in to spend on replacements. The fact we were shite under him given his limited ability and having a transfer budget of minus 20 mill was no surprise.

I am just relieved the last two years of being served up tripe are over.

[Mantis]

[ At the end of the day, we finish 9th with one and 16th with the other.

Your rewriting history somewhat. We didn't finish 9th under Houllier. He wasn't manager for 10 games. In his 28 games in charge we took 33 points - 1.17 points per game. In the 10 games he wasn't around we took 15 points - 1.50 points per game.

Like many others have said arguing over who was worse out of Houllier or McLeish is pointless as they were in their own ways equally as bad. Houllier was well past his use by date, inherited a far better squad of players, had 30 mill to spend and went on to disrespect this great club and its fantastic supporters on numerous occasions whilst his team produced gutless tripe on the pitch and at times went out accepting defeat before a ball had been kicked due to the managers attitude.

McLeish was just out of his depth and the final nail in his coffin was having to sell off our two best players, losing two other very good players in Friedel and Luke Young and then being given less than half what he had brought in to spend on replacements. The fact we were shite under him given his limited ability and having a transfer budget of minus 20 mill was no surprise.

I am just relieved the last two years of being served up tripe are over.

I'm not rewriting history. He was still officially our manager and after all he was the one who appointed McAllister as assistant. Even when he was in charge his last game (2-1 win over West Ham) actually took us up to 9th. We were never really in danger of relegation after that. Not saying that's an achievement or anything or that it's acceptable, but we did a lot better in 10/11 than 11/12.

Yes Mark, I've heard this speech literally two dozen times.

What I don't understand is, why do you omit circumstances that counted against Houllier (not having a summer transfer window, not having Bent until January, injuries etc) where as with McLeish you try and make excuses for him? I just can't get my head round it. I mean, you always make a big song and dance over us being gutless under Houllier (although that was only true on some occasions) yet under McLeish we were gutless nearly ALL the time. I'd say it's actually easier to to count the games where we weren't abject and shocking.

You make a big deal out of the circumstances that count against McLeish, but he also had Darren Bent from the beginning and still had around £15m to spend. Just because he spent it poorly doesn't mean he was under harsh budget constraints.

It just completely baffles me how people can say Houllier and McLeish were equally bad. Houllier was poor. McLeish was absolutely terrible, even when you include the fact that he had a slightly worse squad.

I think some people really understate just how shit McLeish was. 21.43% win ratio, and that's including the cups. 7 0-0 draws. Second lowest scorers in the division (despite having a decent attack). Finished 2 points off the relegation zone and not mathematically safe even on the final day. You've often mentioned Houllier's "gutless" games (although some really don't count). What about McLeish's? 2-0 defeat at Spurs, 1-0 defeat at home to Man U, 2-0 defeat at home to Swansea, 2-1 defeat at home to Bolton, 4-0 defeat at Man U, 2-0 defeat at Norwich, all those horrible draws where we blatantly played for a draw?

[SolihullVilla]

Mantis, I guess it's a bit like you making excuses for Houllier, Mcleish did have a worse record. As I've said my point is Houllier showed disrespect for our great club and Mcleish really wanted to role, but was just too shit to pull it off.

I could sit and have a pint with Houllier and point out the error of his ways but I wudnt give Houllier the time of day.