The Fowler Book

[Judge Jules]

Yes of course he would have been but he would never have been able to be an 'option' would he? As long as he was at the club the manager would have been under pressure to play him, and ultimately he was well past his best by the time we sold him. It seemed a bit brutal but it was a good deal.

I do suspect that Houllier wanted rid of Fowler from word go but couldn't sell him early on because of the reaction of the fans. Once Houllier had won the treble he thought he could get away with it, and actually he largely did at first. If he had bought someone else other than Diouf to replace Fowler then I really don't think it would have been an issue.

If he had (a) signed Anelka on a permanent deal and (b) stuck with the more attacking style we played during those months, I think we'd have had a good chance of the title, Robbie or no Robbie.

 

[gkmacca]

I think Fowler's book is the only footballer's autobiography I've read apart from Keane's, so I don't really know how it compares to the average but I'd have to agree with most on here that I thought he came across badly. Gene put it well when he said he liked him less after reading it.

I remember being surprised just how candid he was about money, and doing whatever it took to get the best deal he could. I'm not saying he did anything wrong, just that the total cynicism was slightly depressing. And that the final attempt at self-justification was fairly contemptible, something like 'Where did it all go wrong? Actually, for a lad from Toxteth with all my millions, things have gone rather spectacularly right.' Hmmmm.

Houllier was definitely right to sell him by that point.

I think the money thing could easily have just come from the questions his ghostwriter - was it Bascombe? - was asking. These books really depend on what the hack asks. The player tends just to respond to whatever they're asked, unless there's a few scores they want to settle, so if he's asked loads about money that's what will go in.

The book I'd like to read is Ged's. There's so much that seems baffling about him - the great champion of youth academies who allowed ours to atrophy, the treatment of Litmanen, and how much his illness played a role in the Anelka, Diiouf and Diao deals, etc etc. I believe Ian Ridley was contracted to ghostwrite his memoirs but that was years ago (shortly after he left LFC, in fact). The last I heard he's still incredibly suspicious of the British press and won't talk to any except for two or three mates of his.

 

[Judge Jules]

I'd like to read that book too, but I doubt it'll turn out any less self-serving than Robbie's unfortunately.

 

[juniormember]

I think it was a bit more complicated than that. All managers are egomaniacs, yes, but all of them - if they are smart - realise that good players, no matter how irritating they might be, aid their ambition. To watch Fowler in training he would have seen an astonishingly talented finisher. That's an asset. Houllier was no mug - he must have salivated when he thought what Fowler could do at top form. So I don't think he immediately dismissed him. I think he came to rage at the way, on Ged's terms, he was wasting his talent. He didn't get rid of Fowler. Fowler got rid of Fowler. All Fowler worried about was his ability to score. Houllier wanted him fitter, more mobile, more tactically aware, more alert. That was the difference. Fowler thought he could come in after being on the ale, getting into scrapes, etc, and so long as he got some shots on target all was well with the world. Carra used to be like that but he changed. Fowler didn't. I'm more intrigued by Rafa bringing him back. Rafa is way too shrewd to think he's getting anything other than a naturally talented finisher who is physically wrecked, so it's a very out of character and very romantic move by him (unless, I guess, he was winding the owners up whilst playing the fans). I'm so glad he did it, but it never made much sense.

Did he really go on the piss all the time?
I've mentioned this several times but whenever I or a family member saw him drinking at the Rose in Mossley with his mates, he'd be drinking orange juice.
This was before and after the 'coke-head' rumours so we always thought all the rumours about him was bollocks and that he was very well behaved. Maybe he was different out in town? Do you have any info on that?

 

[gkmacca]

No, no, sorry, I didn't mean to imply that. I just meant he clearly didn't buy into the whole sports nutrition/science model that Houllier put in place and someone like Carra embraced so seriously. As far as I know he just had a few beers once a week but his eating was more of a problem.

 

[juniormember]

No, no, sorry, I didn't mean to imply that. I just meant he clearly didn't buy into the whole sports nutrition/science model that Houllier put in place and someone like Carra embraced so seriously. As far as I know he just had a few beers once a week but his eating was more of a problem.

Ah, thanks. Makes sense.