Fowler hits out at Houllier

[autumn319]

Fowler hits out at Houllier

by Tom Adams - created on 21 Aug 2005

skysports

 

Robbie Fowler has blamed a 'underhand campaign' waged by Gerard Houllier for tearing him away from the club he loves.

 

The experienced striker left Liverpool in 2001 after nine illustrious years at Anfield, and after failing to settle at Leeds now plies his trade for Stuart Pearce's Manchester City side.

 

However, despite being quick to praise both his current employers and Leeds, Fowler has admitted he believes he should still be turning out for The Reds.

 

The prolific striker endured a difficult relationship with Houllier and has now accused the French tactician of not showing him enough respect and conducting a devious plan to see him exit Anfield.

 

"For all the decent people I've met at Leeds and Manchester City, for all the wonderful fans at those two clubs, I know I should still be at Liverpool now," Fowler said in his autobiography, serialised in The Mail on Sunday.

 

"It's easy for me to blame Gerard Houllier for what happened, easy for me to say that I made a huge mistake in allowing his underhand campaign to force me out.

 

"Houllier did what he had to do, I guess he did what he thought was in the best interests of the club.

 

"I could be bitter towards Houllier and Phil Thompson, his assistant, but on a personal level I'm not.

 

"Away from his job Thompson is fine and I'm sure Houllier is the same.

 

"However, I still wish he hadn't walked in that door at the start of the 1998 season.

 

"Houllier never gave me any respect."

 

Houllier's legacy at Liverpool was tainted by his final years in charge as The Reds failed to conduct a sustained challenge for the title, although Fowler feels that the Frenchman also has to answer the charge of restricting the development of home grown talent.

 

The likes of David Thompson and Dominic Matteo were disposed of as Houllier scoured the continent for recruits, and Fowler believes that the new Lyon manager betrayed the mission statement handed to him on his arrival at Liverpool.

 

"At Anfield we had a fantastic young squad that needed guiding through and I was told that the clear instruction to Houllier was to make that happen," Fowler continued.

 

"Instead he spent well over a hundred million on bringing in foreign players and sold off nearly all the young internationals and prospects that he had inherited."

 

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[Benitez]

Fowler stops blaming others for his downfall, and thanks Houllier for all the medals he won while he was manager here