Gerard Houllier

[King Binny]

I was a 'slow starter' in football and I happen to really follow football and support Liverpool towards yr 2000. I must say I was lucky though, that shortly after, I managed to witness the Treble under GH.

His style of play, talks (excuses, disharmony vs. ex-players), preference in signing French/foreign players, failure to integrate players from the Academy etc. and how his reign ended might've been the minus-es.

But I'll fondly remember how he did so well against Man Utd and Everton, the silverwares and European nights, signing the likes of Hyypia, Hamann and McAllister, and not least - his love for the club and how he almost lost his life. Can imagine how much he'll miss club management.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeXCAR1aNGE

 

[Markeh]

I'll always have a soft spot for the man too.

That uefa cup win was awesome, from absolute anti football matches against Barca and Roma to that ridiculously entertaining final it had it all.

Just a shame he couldn't push on for the league...

 

[Judge Jules]

It's a real shame that both he and Rafa ultimately fell at the final hurdle when they did such good work in some respects.

Glad this is it for GH though. I was hoping it would be. He needs to kick back and enjoy himself in less stressful ways now.

 

[Sunny]

He wasn't the same after his illness but yeh fond memories of Gerard

 

[Dylan]

[quote author=Sunny link=topic=46942.msg1402405#msg1402405 date=1316545200]
He wasn't the same after his illness but yeh fond memories of Gerard
[/quote]

Yip.

 

[Molbystwin]

I was pissed of with him at the very end for a couple of things he did but of the many many good things he did at the club he deserves respect. For the team and the results there are a number you could choose but my abiding memory of him is an interview he gave after we had lost in the cup to Man U with 2 super late goals for them, I was fucking gutted, but in the interview a clearly riled Houllier spat out "i promise we will beat them" .... pure defiance and it made me feel a lot better and was exactly the right thing to say, shame Hodgson was never as tuned in to the club!!

Anyway ....we did beat them.... sadly Arsenal beat us!!

 

[localny]

As a sidebar, Phil Thompson did well when we came in as caretaker I thought..

 

[themn]

[quote author=Dylan link=topic=46942.msg1402407#msg1402407 date=1316545288]
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=46942.msg1402405#msg1402405 date=1316545200]
He wasn't the same after his illness but yeh fond memories of Gerard
[/quote]

Yip.
[/quote]

*lazily agrees*

 

[peterhague]

i was never particularly fond of him if i'm honest and i think he's overrated as a manager, but i have to admit that the illness seemed to have a really bad effect on him.

hope he has a nice retirement.

 

[refugee]

I didn't like some of his politicking, nor did I like his style of play. But I didn't doubt for a second that he wanted to get us back to the top, and for that I thank him.

 

[moron]

He was the right man for the time, the Spice boys era for our club was akin to a rich man getting pissed every night and getting up late for work and losing track of his business as it decays. GH bought the discipline back to our club and changed the mentality of the players that stayed on and got rid of the poison of partying. Thats what was killing Liverpool and its such a shame that the team that Roy had never had the will or the discipline to win the title and challenge consistently in a season because they had the skill to do so.

 

[gene hughes]

He was a great manager. If he hadn't gotten sick.... well... that's one of the many ifs Liverpool fans have had to ponder since Kenny left in 91.

 

[Richey]

I had, and still have, a lot of time for Gerard Houllier. Things did not end well (they rarely ever do) but I think he did a very good job for us on the whole.

He had the courage to come into the club, take on the players who had got too powerful, clear them out and start over. Just a shame that after some great progress he made some poor decisions and could never turn it around again.

 

[Woland]

Until Houllier I'd always thought of football as entertainment rather than maths.

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=localny link=topic=46942.msg1402523#msg1402523 date=1316549552]
As a sidebar, Phil Thompson did well when we came in as caretaker I thought..
[/quote]

I think I'm right in saying his win ratio was higher than GH's.

 

[Asbo]

I truly hated his last season in charge, we played the most DIRE footy I have ever seen us play, but I thank him for 2001, and returning us to European glory, and I love him for bringing in Gary Mac and that whole wonderful season, from the 5 trophies (if you can add the 2 little itty bitty ones) to Gary Macs derby winning free kick deep into extra time, it was a season of utter utter JOY after a long sleepy sleeping giant finally started to wake up.