Liverpool FC Forum

[Paul C]

Thoughts?

Robbie Fowler has blamed a 'underhand campaign' waged by Gerard Houllier for tearing him away from the club he loves.

The experienced striker left Liverpool in 2001 after nine illustrious years at Anfield, and after failing to settle at Leeds now plies his trade for Stuart Pearce's Manchester City side.

However, despite being quick to praise both his current employers and Leeds, Fowler has admitted he believes he should still be turning out for The Reds.

The prolific striker endured a difficult relationship with Houllier and has now accused the French tactician of not showing him enough respect and conducting a devious plan to see him exit Anfield.

"For all the decent people I've met at Leeds and Manchester City, for all the wonderful fans at those two clubs, I know I should still be at Liverpool now," Fowler said in his autobiography, serialised in The Mail on Sunday.

"It's easy for me to blame Gerard Houllier for what happened, easy for me to say that I made a huge mistake in allowing his underhand campaign to force me out.

"Houllier did what he had to do, I guess he did what he thought was in the best interests of the club.

"I could be bitter towards Houllier and Phil Thompson, his assistant, but on a personal level I'm not.

"Away from his job Thompson is fine and I'm sure Houllier is the same.

"However, I still wish he hadn't walked in that door at the start of the 1998 season.

"Houllier never gave me any respect."

Houllier's legacy at Liverpool was tainted by his final years in charge as The Reds failed to conduct a sustained challenge for the title, although Fowler feels that the Frenchman also has to answer the charge of restricting the development of home grown talent.

The likes of David Thompson and Dominic Matteo were disposed of as Houllier scoured the continent for recruits, and Fowler believes that the new Lyon manager betrayed the mission statement handed to him on his arrival at Liverpool.

"At Anfield we had a fantastic young squad that needed guiding through and I was told that the clear instruction to Houllier was to make that happen," Fowler continued.

"Instead he spent well over a hundred million on bringing in foreign players and sold off nearly all the young internationals and prospects that he had inherited."

[mighty mo]

robbie,s right on all fronts there,about the underhand tactics  against robbie and how he treated the young players and disregarded the academy

[Paul C]

I know GH loved Liverpool, but he also sacrificed the club when he stopped playing younsters cos of the fall out with Steve Heighway

[drummerphil]

Robbie 

[adamnbarrett]

Yes I read this full article in the daily mail on sunday and it is also in his autobiography which I all recommend you buy. He is right in every way with that article. He also said that steven gerrard phoned him up the night after istanbul and said you should still be at anfield and you should have played etc. Houllier wasted so much talent (thompson, matteo etc) and money (cheyrou, diouf etc).

[NiftyNeil]

Robbie Fowler was God. However, he had gone stale and he was suffering long term injuries every season.
It took him at least ten games to get his sharpness back after every time he got injured. I don't think he would still be at Liverpool if Gerard H hadn't of gone there.
I also wish people would stay off Houliers back. He did what he thought was best for the club, he loved the club, almost died for the club, and he also restored some of the former glories after Roy Evans' lackluster effort.

[JC_81]

Houllier did make a lot of expensive mistakes in the transfer market, Fowler was right about that.

But Houllier did call it right imo with Matteo, Thompson AND Fowler himself.  All 3 are injury prone and we got decent money for all of them at the right time.

Fowler was my favourite player when he was here, but let's face it, he's not half the player now that he was in his early 20s.  Houllier was right to sell him, even though I was devastated myself at the time.

[Paul C]

I also wish people would stay off Houliers back. He did what he thought was best for the club, he loved the club, almost died for the club, and he also restored some of the former glories after Roy Evans' lackluster effort.

Were not getting on his back, although he did make mistakes I do believe he loved the club and still does, I don't have a problem with Houllier and would shake his hand if I saw him in the street.

[Luis Garcia]

For all his ability, and goals for LFC, i have to say we sold him at the right time. As his form away from anfield has been poor, to say the least.

GO on, i know your going to disagree.

[H_K_LFC]

nope 12 mill,a gd bit if buisness if u ask me...even tho he was a legend you hav to know wen ur times up and a think we got it rite buy selling him.

[yckatbjywtbiastkamb]

i think robbie`s goalscoring record since he left vindicates houlliers decision, not to mention the amount of time he has been injured. it was a good call by houllier at the time, but for about 3 or 4 seasons fowler was the best goalscorer i`d ever seen and i`ll never forget his last minute winner in the second 4-3 against newcastle.

[dosserboy]

For all his ability, and goals for LFC, i have to say we sold him at the right time. As his form away from anfield has been poor, to say the least.

GO on, i know your going to disagree.

I agree!

[Lando_Griffin]

I disagree(I'm on to you Luis Garcia!!!!AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!)
Fowler lost a lot when he snapped his crutiate ligaments, but he was still the best finisher in the Premiership. His fitness has been a problem because no one trains welll when their hearts not in it. As someone said a few months ago; "Fowler's footballing heart was broken by Houllier."

Fowler is God. (And he'd have scored about 4 goals in the last 2 matches we've played, even while unfit.)

[Paul C]

I disagree(I'm on to you Luis Garcia!!!!AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!)
Fowler lost a lot when he snapped his crutiate ligaments, but he was still the best finisher in the Premiership. His fitness has been a problem because no one trains welll when their hearts not in it. As someone said a few months ago; "Fowler's footballing heart was broken by Houllier."

Fowler is God. (And he'd have scored about 4 goals in the last 2 matches we've played, even while unfit.)

Agreed, if Robbie came back to Anfield it would give him a new lease of life, we could just tell him to stand in the box and put the ball in the net 

[begintoend]

Yes Robbie was the most clinical finisher Liverpool has for the past 15years.

Even if his form has dip, you still see his class. Its all over his game.