by akeem » Tue Aug 12, 2003 4:57 pm
What has Houllier done?
His only real success came as director of French football in 1998 and I'm sorry but anyone including me and you (whoever's reading) would have had success with the likes of Henry, Anelka, Trezeguet etc etc. Can Houllier really cliam success for these superstars? He failed to get France through a mediocre group for USA 1994 even drawing with Egypt! With Roy Evans lfc would have finished in champions league spots every season (had fourth place been able to get in to that competition then) Houllier has got us in twice in five years. As for the trophies, the success of 2001 proves that Houllier is a good manager but good is not good enough for Liverpool FC - We've won 18 top flight titlesand four European cups for goodness sake. Alaves and Birmingham were always going to be beatable (and didn't we make a meal of beating both?) and as four the FA cup Owen won us that not Houllier's tactics. The only real success LFC have had under Houllier is 2002 season where we finished second. We had a super defence and some have said it was the best in Europe (I'm sure a few of the Italian teams would have something to say about that) and our performances were generally very good; getting tothe quarters of the CL wasn't bad either. But you must remeber 1/3 of the season Houllier was not there and with the quality in Liverpool we should have won at least the league that year. I really believe that Sami, Stevie, Michael and our Goalies are world class. We may even have a better squad in terms of cover for first team quality than Man U and certainly Arsenal. My point is this I don't know whether Houllier is good or bad, i just feel that any success he has had is to do with the individuals he's working with rather than his brilliance. Also if he's so respected in France why does Wenger manage to get Henry. Pires and Vieira and Houllier gets Diomede, Micheal-Ferri and Cheyrou. I also believe he's tha godfather to Zidane's Son. To close, being a season ticket holder at LFC nobody more than me would like my assessment of Houllier to be wrong and LFC to win the premiership this season, but I just don't think it will happen (I bet we don't even get close, can you say fifth place again?). I feel that Houllier has taken us further than even he is able and it's now time to say goodbye and embark on a new era which I believe with the right man at the helm coupled with the squad we have i.e Sami, Stevie, Michael, our goalies, LFC will see glory again.
If you disagree, please respond politely and we will discuss this topic