Villa, Villa, Villa

[Shaggy]

Well you can tell him that atleast the post match interviews will be alot more positive under Houllier (regardless of how badly villa play)

I did tell him he'll be delighted about how many corners Villa will have under Houllier, and that Houllier won't ever be shy of pointing it out.

[JohnDoe]

Villa are ****ed. Get Ashley Young next summer.

[Shaggy]

Staunton is Ged's assistant

[Tee]

Staunton is Ged's assistant

...cue the Laurel & Hardy headlines...

[lickedlollipop]

Villa are ****ed. Get Ashley Young next summer.

remember, we are ****ed too

[Gibbo]

Gerrard tells Villa fans they've got a winner
Gerard Houllier knows how to get a winning team, says Steven Gerrard

Aston Villa fans may still have some reservations about the appointment of Gerard Houllier as the replacement for Martin O’Neill – but Steven Gerrard, for one, believes Villa have got the best man for the job.

Houllier has finally been confirmed as Martin O'Neill's successor after quitting as technical director of the French Football Federation, and he will make his public bow at a press conference tomorrow afternoon.

Villa fans, in the main, fancied a younger man at the helm – a man to nurture the embarrassment of riches the club has either nurtured or acquired – but England skipper reckons they can’t go far wrong with the former Liverpool boss.

Gerrard spent six years working under Houllier at Anfield, and has the medals and the trophies to prove it He said: "I've still got quite a close relationship with Gerard. He gave me my chance at the top level and I certainly learned an awful lot from him.

"Aston Villa have got themselves a very good manager and I am not surprised Gerard has come back into the Premier League. I know how much he loves football. He has been desperate to get back involved in the Premier League so it is no surprise to me."

The Liverpool skipper added: "It has been no surprise to me that Villa have been interested in him because he is a top manager. We had a magnificent year in 2001. He came in and had to change an awful lot of things at Liverpool and that is what he is good at.

“When he comes in, he knows what he wants, and he knows how to get a winning team. That showed by the five trophies we won under him."

[Daniel 7]

He has freely admitted everything changed after his brush with mortality. Let's not rewrite history - he gave us some great times when he was in charge and everyone sang his name quite readily. Good luck at Villa, but I do wonder if he decided to take the plunge now Rafa has left Liverpool. Like he couldn't face playing against his direct successor.

[DannyMan2006]

He has freely admitted everything changed after his brush with mortality. Let's not rewrite history - he gave us some great times when he was in charge and everyone sang his name quite readily. Good luck at Villa, but I do wonder if he decided to take the plunge now Rafa has left Liverpool. Like he couldn't face playing against his direct successor.

Rubbish that mate.

I think Houllier is a good manager and Villa in the past have been based about being solid at the back, so in that way, they are already set for him. I think at Liverpool he will have suffered under the wieght of expectation like many others, if he wins half the stuff at Villa that he won with Liverpool, they'll be doing somersaults.

[Daniel 7]

I know he nearly took the Newcastle job a while back (or so he says) - it just seemed a bit coincidental that he was taking the plunge in England again right after Rafa leaving.

One thing i'll say about the EPL - it really seems to get to foreign managers doesn't it? Look at Mourinho the way he still hankers after working here, Benitez and his obvious affinity with Liverpool, Houllier and the way he talks about the game here. Once they leave, it almost seems like an obsession to get back.

There just can't be the same level of adulation for the manager in other countries as here.

[Craig_H]

I think it's more to do with the PL being the richest league.

[Daniel 7]

Yeah but Mourinho isn't going to be short of a penny or two at Madrid, or indeed wasn't at Inter - but he still calls Chelsea "his" team and clearly covets coming back. Can't just be financial.

[-V-]

Thats only because the media over here worship him

[Daniel 7]

And Rafa? Prickly with the press, real affinity with Liverpool as a club and city. Houllier was bowled over by the Premier League, hated the press...

[Craig_H]

Yeah but Mourinho isn't going to be short of a penny or two at Madrid, or indeed wasn't at Inter - but he still calls Chelsea "his" team and clearly covets coming back. Can't just be financial.

I meant in terms of so many clubs being so well off, that they can spend well in the market - which manager wouldnt love that? Obviously Madrid dont exactly starve their managers of transfer funds, but they are something of a one-off and an extreme case. Very few European clubs can compete with their english 'equivalent' when it comes to transfer spending, and obviously managers will love being given good budgets to spend in the market.

[CJ]

ok spain have madrid and to a lesser extent barca who can spend big money
we have city and the chavs. not sure any other team can really spend big anymore here.
italy maybe inter and usually a n other though that club changes
germany have bayern

not sure at the moment we are the richest in terms of spending power, if the ownership of us and the scum were different and also aresenal in a few years that should change back, just not sure at the moment its true