Houllier: Succces or Failure?

[Guest petelfc]

It was nine years ago today that Gerard Houllier first took sole charge of a Liverpool game, and LFC TV wants your views on his time at the club on 'This is Anfield' tonight.

Houllier took charge of the Reds after a short period as joint-boss with Roy Evans and we will be looking back on his reign at the club.

 

The Frenchman led Liverpool to the treble in 2001 and many people say that season was one of their most enjoyable ever as an LFC fan. Other supporters have said Houllier's reign has to be seen as one of disappointment overall because he didn't lead the club to the league title and his signings were questioned.

 

This is where you come in and we want your views on the Houllier era at Liverpool FC.

 

 

Personally, I think it depends on your definition of success. Liverpool managers will always be judged on league championships, which is where Houllier fell short.

 

He certainly moved the club forward, modernised our whole approach, and put us back on the map in Europe, but for some I doubt that will qualify as unmitigated success.

Edited November 14, 2007 by petelfc

[matty]

I liked him when we were winning, and didn't like him when we were losing.

 

we scored 126 goals in 2000/01.

 

That season was a lot of fun.

 

Smicer was sh*t.

[baza]

A successful failure, no

 

Edited November 14, 2007 by baza

[John am Rhein]

Success followed by failure

[Stevie H]

I liked him when we were winning, and didn't like him when we were losing.

 

we scored 126 goals in 2000/01.

 

That season was a lot of fun.

 

Smicer was sh*t.

sami hyypia went the entire season without getting booked once. legendary.

[fred milne]

As a man once said: first half good, second half not so good.

[Benitez]

up to his illness, very much a success. Not just in terms of the cup treble season, but we where headed in the right way in other aspects too, both on and off the field (development of Melwood for instance).

 

After the initial euphoria following his return, not so much. And once he started fighting with the media, things went badly.

[surf]

he gave us back our pride

[McBain]

I liked him when we were winning, and didn't like him when we were losing.

 

we scored 126 goals in 2000/01.

 

That season was a lot of fun.

 

Smicer was sh*t.

 

127

[Gerrardrules]

Lost the plot at the end.

[Magic8Ball]

127

If a Rafa team could score that many goals we'd def win the league !

 

 

 

IMO Houllier really failed because he didnt buy the right players for his system ( but what was his system? - he didnt know in the end).

He started off wanting lightening quick players who could pass and move - see Arsenal, then changed his mind (AFTER THE HEART ATTACK) and wanted to bring in cheaper creative players - these players were not creative enough to take us forward in Houlliers newer system and not fast enough to allow Houllier to revert back to his original idea.

Basically Houllier got caught between trying to play like Wengers Arsenal and trying to play like Rafa's Valencia.

 

Was Houllier successful? YES for just about any other club other than Liverpool, here despite my admiring him, he will be seen as an average manager.

[MFletcher]

He did a lot of good for the club - mainly the Treble season.

 

It's the transfer market where I would really question his record. He made some excellent signings in Hyypia, Hamann, McAllister etc. But for every good player there was a bad one. I need not comment on the £18M summer of Diouf, Diao and Cheyrou. The falling out with and subsequent selling of Fowler didn't go down too well with me at the time, as Robbie was one of my favourite players.

 

He had to go when he did. If we'd persisted with him any longer we'd have been looking at seasons of mediocrity.

 

All in, he was a decent manager but probably not much more than that.

[Tosh]

Success

 

Got us back into the habit of winning. Gave us some great memories from Dortmund to Old Trafford via Cardiff. Signed some great servants to the club but most importantly, dragged us out of the 1st division and into the modern premiership mentality - something RE on his own or many other managers would/could not have done.

 

Sure, he didn't win the "big" trophies and arguably came back too soon/stayed too long after his illness but to call it anything other than a success is to deny what he started with, and what Rafa took over

[Dan]

If a Rafa team could score that many goals we'd def win the league !

IMO Houllier really failed because he didnt buy the right players for his system ( but what was his system? - he didnt know in the end).

He started off wanting lightening quick players who could pass and move - see Arsenal, then changed his mind (AFTER THE HEART ATTACK) and wanted to bring in cheaper creative players - these players were not creative enough to take us forward in Houlliers newer system and not fast enough to allow Houllier to revert back to his original idea.

Basically Houllier got caught between trying to play like Wengers Arsenal and trying to play like Rafa's Valencia.

 

Was Houllier successful? YES for just about any other club other than Liverpool, here despite my admiring him, he will be seen as an average manager.

 

Which one of Houllier's team ever came close to playing like Wenger's Arsenal?

[Tones]

i think he was a success. up until he made crazy transfer decisions in 2002.

[floyd the barber]

went downhill after Bergues left....everything was looking good up till then, also houllier/bergues had made some impressive signings....bergues left and we ended up with diao,cheyrou,cisse and diouf

[Magic8Ball]

Which one of Houllier's team ever came close to playing like Wenger's Arsenal?

You miss the point, I was saying that's what he wanted, not what he achieved.

When Houlllier was coaching - I think he coached FIFA badges - he had Harry Redknapp on one of his courses, he was teaching something called Systeme Actif , or something like that. The idea was to move the ball quickly, passing to feet .... Arsenal style ( of course he never achieved that).

 

I think the idea came from stats that showed the team that scored the most goals moved the ball the fastest, to players lacking Xabi's passing ability that can translate to hoof.

Its an interesting concept ( wish I had more on it) but it's also interesting to note, that Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea (with Duff and Robben) all played lightening fast football. In fact I would bet most of Man U's goals come this way, and less from patient build up passing the ball about alot.

Also interestingly this is the one thing we dont do well consistently, but we do retain the ball better than most teams ( well when we have our 'A' team )

[Molby]

huge success

 

2 more Souness-type appointments and we could have been relegated

 

put us right back on track, gave us pride, trophies, modern methods, professional players and a belief that we could be a top, top club again

 

I love the man

 

and Smicer was class Matty, sei scemo? che cazzo dice?

[Dee]

went downhill after Bergues left....everything was looking good up till then, also houllier/bergues had made some impressive signings....bergues left and we ended up with diao,cheyrou,cisse and diouf

will the departure of Pako be seen as the 'turning point' of Rafa's reign?

[Gunga Din]

huge success

 

2 more Souness-type appointments and we could have been relegated

 

put us right back on track, gave us pride, trophies, modern methods, professional players and a belief that we could be a top, top club again

 

I love the man

 

and Smicer was class Matty, sei scemo? che cazzo dice?

 

aye, spot on

[Rimbeux]

You miss the point, I was saying that's what he wanted, not what he achieved.

When Houlllier was coaching - I think he coached FIFA badges - he had Harry Redknapp on one of his courses, he was teaching something called Systeme Actif , or something like that. The idea was to move the ball quickly, passing to feet .... Arsenal style ( of course he never achieved that).

 

I think the idea came from stats that showed the team that scored the most goals moved the ball the fastest, to players lacking Xabi's passing ability that can translate to hoof.

Its an interesting concept ( wish I had more on it) but it's also interesting to note, that Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea (with Duff and Robben) all played lightening fast football. In fact I would bet most of Man U's goals come this way, and less from patient build up passing the ball about alot.

Also interestingly this is the one thing we dont do well consistently, but we do retain the ball better than most teams ( well when we have our 'A' team )

 

 

Always wondered why so many French club sides basically played counter attack long to a fast front man. it's not long ball in the English sense, of big man up front, rather long ball into space or into the run of the quick striker. I saw the practice, knew Gerard was a coaches coach, but thought what we saw was what it was all about.

[Nerik]

Until end 01/02 a great success. Put us back on the European map, made Anfield a fortress and got us 2nd place with a view to win the EPL the next season. His transfers in 2002 flopped and the worst thing was that he did too little too late to rectify that and our game kept on suffering. The team suffered from a lack of pace and creativity and slumped. Ironically he made 2 very good signings in summer 2003 (Finnan and Kewell) but it was too late to improve things as the previous poor signings did not improve whilst good servants left, retired or were out long term (Babbel, Gary Mac, Barmby).

 

Towards the end he had nearly come close to undoing a lot of the good he had done but he will still be remembered for the trophies he won and also for the professionalism that he brought back to the club.

[slapnuts]

Success I love him, sack rafa bring him back

[Guest petelfc]

I think our so called negative football under Houllier was way overblown. I remember some really good stuff played, especially in 2001/2002. There was some dreadful moments, though. Barca away, which was a good result, was painful to watch. I don't think we got out of our own half.

[Guest Ant]

I'm more suprised it was 9 years ago...

 

Jesus