Liverpool FC Forum

by **Owzat** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 1:34 pm

Parry backs Houllier (taken from www.bbc.co.uk)

Houllier's side face a battle to qualify for the Champions League

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has suggested Gerard Houllier is likely to stay as boss even if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League.

There has been speculation Houllier will be forced out if the club do not finish fourth in the Premiership.

Asked if Houllier's position rested on Liverpool qualifying for the Champions League, Parry told the club's website: "No, of course it doesn't.

"Statements saying this will happen if we come fifth are not helpful."

Liverpool currently hold fourth place, but only on goal difference from Newcastle, while five other clubs are all within five points.

"Fourth is essential, as we have said all along. For all sorts of reasons we really do need to clinch that.

"There's a huge financial gulf between the Champions League and the Uefa Cup and it makes life difficult.

"We want to be challenging for honours, clearly, and I think we all feel as disappointed and as frustrated as the fans.

"You can never guarantee that you are going to win the league, but we should be challenging. We really should be a title contender," said Parry.

"Clearly there is a whole series of different factors which I won't go into as to why that hasn't happened.

"There's no way that fourth should be a long-term acceptable target. That's partly why we have our financial advisers on board to re-look at our strategy," added Parry.

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So if fourth is "essential" and we fail to manage it for the second season running, how exactly is keeping Houllier on the solution?!?!?!?!?!?

"We should be a title contender" - well I've go news for him - we're not! We have not come close to challenging, even when we managed 80 points in one season. In fact we've been outside the top two for 4 of the last 5 seasons.

by **ICE-MAN** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 1:39 pm

U MIGHT BE UPSET BY THIS BUT GIVE HIM ONE MORE YEAR, COS IS CONTRACT IS UP THE END OF NEXT SEASON, IF HE GETS RID OF SOME DEAD WOOD AT THE CLUB NAMELY DIAO TRAORE HESKEY DIOUF VIGNAL BABBEL MURPHY
HE SHOULD RAISE A FEW BOB WITH THAT AND BRING IN CISSE MEXES AND AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER U NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, BUT JUST GIVE HIM A CHANCE, MAN UTD GAVE FERGUSON GOD KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS BEFORE HE WON ANYTHING, WE HAVE WON A FEW CUPS AND PLAYED IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE UNDER HOULLIER ALREADY IN FIVE YEARS, AND CONSIDERING THE MESS THIS CLUB WAS IN WHEN HE TOOK CHARGE HE HAS WORKED MIRACLES, HE HAS RAISED EXPECTATIONS BACK UP TO WHAT THEY ARE AND SHOULD BE, THIS IS JUST A BLIP! :cool:

by **simic_ie** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 1:42 pm

I seen this as well, I think that if Parry is giving Houllier this much backing he may well be talking himself out of a job. It seems to me the only ones who care about Liverpool right now are the fans, and not the board members. I think the board should remember where the real power in the football club lies and they should respect the wishes of a majority of Livertpool fans and let GH go at the end of the season. If this doesn't happen and Liverpool give Houllier another year it might be time for Liverpool fans to stand up and show the board who is really in charge.

by **Owzat** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 1:42 pm

He could easily have got rid of "dead wood" last summer, but he didn't. The trouble is he still rates some of these signings he made and if he thinks Heskey is good enough to be at Liverpool FC who knows what he'll do next?!?!?!?!?

by **ICE-MAN** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 1:51 pm

THATS TRUE, I FINALLY THOUGHT WITH THE EXPECTED ARRIVAL OF CISSE (WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD SIGNING) THAT HESKEY WOULD BE ON HIS WAY AND U NEVER KNOW WITH BORO N BIRMINGHAM SNIFFING ROUND I THINK HESKEY COULD STILL GO AT THE END OF THE SEASON! I DONT HINK HOULLIER IS RUTHLESS ENOUGH TO GET RD OF PLAYERS EXCEPT FOR WESTERVELD, AND HE DOESNT LIKE ADMITING HE'S WRONG IN THE TRANSFER MARKET! BUT ONE MORE YEAR, THE SIGNINGS LAST SUMMER WERE GOOD JUST NEED TO GIVE THEM TIME, AND HATE TO AGREE WITH HOULLIER BUT INJURIES HAVE BEEN A PAIN IN THE a#se THIS SEASON! :cool:

by **Stan Laurel** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:10 pm

I saw that on earlier, well what can we do about it, start the campaign right now......Houllier out! Houllier out!

If he continue doing this job next season, then we will be f##k up and he is NOT good enough to coach Liverpool. That will be more difficult for us fans, because of my mates who are season tickets holder like myself, they are seriously boycott the match on saturday, they handed their season tickets book to back to the office last Tuesday until GH resigned or sacked! I don't blame them for how they feel about, being season ticket holder is hell of money to buy the season tickets.

Parry and his board are BIG soft touch!!!

by **JohnBull** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:27 pm

Once again the powers in charge at Liverpool have shown their brilliance at avoiding the real issue. The group of no-marks who are in charge now would never reach such positions of importance anywhere else. It is in their short-term interests to keep things as they are and bringing in expensive signings and pointing fingers at the past failings which THEY approved just fog the issue.
Rick Parry is an overpaid chancer, David Moores is a wealthy son of a grafter but does nothing, Houlliere is a school teacher promoted beyond his ability, Phil Thompson was an average midfielder moved to defence, who managed 42 caps because he played for Liverpool, not because he was international quality,and who then had the nerve to question Paisley when the Hanson/Lawro partnership was formed, spat his dummy out and went to Sheffield Utd, Steve Heighway has done nothing to improve the relationship between the Academy and Melwood because he is an arrogant ba#ta#d who always knows better.
How can anyone expect teamwork on the pitch when there is f##k-all behind the scenes?
The great days, which I was lucky to see, created an empire which has slowly but surely been taken over by the hangers-on. the carpet-baggers,the "prawn sandwich" munchers, the fair weather supporters who did nothing to contribute to the circus now evident at Anfeild Road which has created a load of millionaires but no true LFC Men.
A revolution is required and as normal the working man will pay for it and the fancy-Dans will walk away whistling Dixie.

by **XSD** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:28 pm

ICE-MAN wrote:THATS TRUE, I FINALLY THOUGHT WITH THE EXPECTED ARRIVAL OF CISSE (WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD SIGNING) THAT HESKEY WOULD BE ON HIS WAY AND U NEVER KNOW WITH BORO N BIRMINGHAM SNIFFING ROUND I THINK HESKEY COULD STILL GO AT THE END OF THE SEASON! I DONT HINK HOULLIER IS RUTHLESS ENOUGH TO GET RD OF PLAYERS EXCEPT FOR WESTERVELD, AND HE DOESNT LIKE ADMITING HE'S WRONG IN THE TRANSFER MARKET! BUT ONE MORE YEAR, THE SIGNINGS LAST SUMMER WERE GOOD JUST NEED TO GIVE THEM TIME, AND HATE TO AGREE WITH HOULLIER BUT INJURIES HAVE BEEN A PAIN IN THE a#se THIS SEASON!

by **REDTILLDEAD** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:42 pm

Parry and this board are a bunch of spineless t#s#ers!! i have said it before the only way this bunch of no-hopers will take notice is when our supporters verbally start to voice their disaprovel of GHs policys, and tactics i know its not the thing to be pulling your team down but this board will not lissten untill fans start to let them know how we feel. starting with houiller out banners, at home games?..instead of chanting "attack, attack" try resign resign, and by voting with their feet either stay away, or by leaving en-mass before full time? these are drastic measures i know!!..but we are in a drastic situation that needs to be sorted, i dont want another season of poor buys,no motivation, lack lustre preformences, over paid, and over rated players plus a bag of ready made excuses when things are going wrong.we are falling further and further behind our rivals, and the gap will get even bigger next season if that "frog is still in charge!!.

by **woof woof !** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:43 pm

Owzat wrote:Parry backs Houllier (taken from www.bbc.co.uk)

Asked if Houllier's position rested on Liverpool qualifying for the Champions League, Parry told the club's website: "No, of course it doesn't.

"Statements saying this will happen if we come fifth are not helpful."

"Fourth is essential, as we have said all along. For all sorts of reasons we really do need to clinch that.

"There's a huge financial gulf between the Champions League and the Uefa Cup and it makes life difficult.

"There's no way that fourth should be a long-term acceptable target. That's partly why we have our financial advisers on board to re-look at our strategy," added Parry.

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Hmmmmm

Reading between the lines, I feel they are looking hard at Foolier. Obviously they won't come right out with it at this stage of the season and say "yeah we think he's a waste of space". They wouldn't broadcast that until the new manager is lined up. Maybe the "money men " mentioned will advise them that Foolier is a liability .
Or am I being optomistic

by **THEBARON** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 6:33 pm

I'm afraid that you may be being too optimistic given what Houllier has said publicly today.
Speaking exclusively on Sky sports Houllier asserted that he expects to be in charge at the start of next season. Moreover he claimed that Liverpool will win the premiership under his leadership !
On five live yesterday I heard local journalist Mcnulty talking about Houllier's future and he basically hinted that Houllier will be here next season with or without the champions league. He did suggest that there could be something of an exodus of players leaving in the summer , including messrs Heskey and Diouf.
Given these views and Parry's response then it looks like Houllier is safe. This says a lot about the ambition and outlook of the men in control. Assuming that they want the best for the club then they must be completely taken in by Houllier and his spin. Despite unacceptable results , unattractive football , fan discontent and falling attendances .. they want more of the same !
I doubt whether they have the bottle or vision to look beyond Houllier . Look what happened with Roy Evans. By the summer of 1998 it seemed clear to most that his time was up. It has started well for Evans but soon went backwards. He had been backed financially by the board but seemed incapable of taking us furher forward by summer 1998. What did the board do ? Tell him thanks for your service but it's time for a change and your time is up ? No did they f##k ! They came up with the infamous partnership and what a success that was !
John Bull is 100% spot on when he attacks those in control , they are not committed to the club like the majority of fans are. I am glad that David Moores is not an egotistical attention seeking tw#t like some other chairman are but I really doubt whether he is the right man to be our chairman. He is chairman through family inheritance rather than merit.
I wonder what our chairman in the 70's and 80's John Smith would have done ?
Although we were a lot more successful than now there were still difficult decisions to be made. When Shankly retired they had to press gang a reluctant Bob Paisley to take over. When Dalglish took over they had to pass on a couple of other alternatives including Neal and Toshack. Tough decisions at the time but ultimately the right ones.
Certainly the current board are not courting popularity with their backing of Houllier so in that sense it takes courage. But they are surely aware of the growing unrest amongst the support and increasing media speculation ?
Stick or twist gentlemen ?

by **stmichael** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 6:42 pm

it just seems to me that all the egotistical members of the liverpool board are contradicting themselves. moores comes out at the agm and says fourth is the MINIMUM REQUIREMENT for this season. if we miss out and he keeps houllier on then it's a disgrace because he will have lied to everybody.

by **woof woof !** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 7:18 pm

THEBARON wrote:I'm afraid that you may be being too optimistic given what Houllier has said publicly today.

Thanks Baron, I missed that today.
If it all comes to pass looks like we face another season (at least) of pain and disappointment

by **Gbo** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 7:35 pm

Even if we get 4th place and a Champions League place, will it be good enough??

At the start of the season, would the board have excepted scraping into the Champions League 30 points behind the leaders, and being knocked out of the 3 cups early on by lesser oppostion? NO

4th place or not we need a new manager.

by **Owzat** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 8:17 pm

We need probably three players minimum : -

Kirkland
Carragher*
Hyypia
Henchoz*
Finnan
Kewell
Hamann
Gerrard
Murphy*
Owen
Baros

* indicates a player who could do with replacing or competition (Carragher isn't left-footed, Henchoz and Hyypia aren't the quickest and we haven't any natural right-sided midfielders) Also consider the strength of replacements when we get injuries, suspensions and dips in form, not to mention for tactical options, and I'd say six new players might be needed to get us up towards the top three.

We won't do much in the CL with our current squad, ffs we can't even be certain of top four placings in the Premiership in spite of having better players man for man than the teams still just about below us

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