In hindsight was it unfair to sack Houllier?

[Mr. Biscan]

Competing with the financial muscle of United, Chelsea and the talent of Arsenal and having David Moores owning the club. Personally I think it was an excellent achievement for him to finish 4th when he did, and to expect him to achieve anything was very unfair.

 

I mean look at the signings he made with very little money, Hyypia and Henchoz, yes he had some big money flops like Keane (sorry) I mean Diouf and Cheyrou and made some rather obscure decisions like playing Aurelio in Centre Midfield...Sorry not Aurelio, Heskey at left midfield...Don't know why I'm getting so confused!

 

I don't think his net spend was actually that big as well, which is a shame because with the money he really would have went on to achieve further. To have expected him to win anything under the ownership of Moores and Parry and the financial muscle of Chelsea would have been very un-fair.

 

Thoughts

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Absolutely not. Rafa won the CL in the next season, the FA Cup the year after and got 81pts in the league, got the final of the CL the year after, the semi's of the CL the year after that and finished 2nd to Utd with 86pts the year after that.

[Hassony]

 

his net spend was massive compared to Rafa, he hardly sold anyone for any decent money

Edited October 7, 2009 by Hassony

[Mr. Biscan]

 

his net spend was massive compared to Rafa, he hardly sold anyone for any decent money

 

Chelsea's net spend was huge though

[Hassony]

Chelsea's net spend was huge though

 

only for his last season

 

who was their record signing before then? Desially probably

[Benzo-13]

No. Last two years were anti football and it was 43k of people on suicide watch when in Anfield looking at it.

[Hector McDougal]

He sold very few players for a profit compared with Rafa. Too many bad buys. The summer 02 spend was a disaster. I liked him but it was definitely time for a change when he left.

[Hassony]

we were competing with Newcastle FFS

[Hassony]

He sold very few players for a profit compared with Rafa. Too many bad buys. The summer 02 spend was a disaster. I liked him but it was definitely time for a change when he left.

 

i can't think of anyone he sold for a profit

 

jean Michel Ferri?

[Red Kent]

Ged's time was up for us plain and simple.

[cymrococh]

It was definitely time for him to go.

 

Do you really think Rafa currently compares to Houllier in his last season?

 

Or can we expect a hilarious post telling us this was all a wind-up?

[Conrad]

What a ridiculous question.

 

He was sacked a year later than he should have been.

 

We are still to some extent playing catch up for the mistakes of the Houllier era.

[Hassony]

In hindsight he should have gone a year earlier, although we might have ended up with curbishly then

[CarraLegend]

Actually I cant even be arsed, I wont feed the t***.

Edited October 7, 2009 by CarraLegend

[Benzo-13]

In hindsight he should have gone a year earlier, although we might have ended up with curbishly then

Or Jumpin' Jack MON?

[Rimbeux]

It was unfair to keep Houllier for the extra year

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

He was a good manager, but we were going backwards and it was time for him to go.

 

You reach a point when you realise the boss is never going to win you the league, you move on.

[Dmitch]

Looking back he gave alot to the club including his own health but his time was up!

 

I prefer to try and look back at the good times under Ged! And forward to a glory filled future under Benitez (i hope)

[Hightown Phil]

No. Because we were absolute garbage.

[growler]

For me, the quality of a manager is how he leaves the squad. Houllier left no youth, and a first team squad which was worth nothing, high in wages and high in numbers.

 

IN comparison, anyone who knows anything about our club, knows the value of the first team squad, the value of the kids in the 16-20 bucket and the reform around the club.

[Stevie H]

only for his last season

 

who was their record signing before then? Desially probably

chris sutton i imagine.

[ajams]

chris sutton i imagine.

 

Hasselbaink was £15m if I remember rightly. Anyway, Chelsea were spending plenty of money long before Abramovich came along - they were on the way to a Leeds-style meltdown prior to the takeover.

 

None of that changes the fact that we were overdue for a change of manager at the time though.

[cymrococh]

I mean look at the signings he made with very little money, Hyypia and Henchoz, yes he had some big money flops like Keane (sorry) I mean Diouf and Cheyrou and made some rather obscure decisions like playing Aurelio in Centre Midfield...Sorry not Aurelio, Heskey at left midfield...

This is just mental.

 

These signings are in no way comparable, neither is the decision to play Aurelio in centre-mid (Twice!) comparable to playing Heskey at left-wing.

 

Don't know why I'm getting so confused!

There are many possibilities.

Edited October 8, 2009 by Captain Sanil Crastow

[_00_deathscar]

Aurelio was played in central midfield thrice actually (Leeds) and the only time it didn't really work out was against Fiorentina.

 

Also, Aurelio played as a central midfielder for a very large part of the season (and successfully I might add) for Valencia under Benitez.

[fred]

IMO it is 20-20 hindsight to say that Houllier should've been removed a year earlier than he was. 02/03 was his first season where it went backwards rather than forwards and IMO he deserved one season to try and turn it around. The turnaround didn't happen, so it was time for him to go when he did.