Gerard Houllier

[Armando]

Errrrrrrrr....

What part am I missing here. Do people on here not know venanoballs has the job? Him and Delaney are closer than Stan and Delaney and its not what you know in this world but who you know.

VENNABLES OUT - May as well start it now rather than in a yeas time when hes as pathetic as he was in his previous jobs.

Are you as sure as you were when you broke the news about Staunton over on Boards 2 years ago?:D ...that was you wasn't it?
...if so I may just have to lump a hefty sum on him tomorrow;)

To be honest I resigned myself to Venables weeks ago:(

[eekers]

Him and Delaney are closer than Stan and Delaney

any evidence whatsoever to back this up?

i know venables might of been the preferred candidate of delaney 2 months ago, but i doubt they've ever even met.

[eirebhoy]

Daily Mail:

Houllier, linked with the Newcastle job this week, has met the FAI's three-man management committee and they would like to discuss the vacancy again before making a final recommendation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=508950&in_page_id=1779&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5

[Noelys Guitar]

Watched all 2 hours of the conference coverageand only people involved in US leagues were interviewed!

[Stuttgart88]

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/internationals/article3347918.ece

Houllier prepares to answer Ireland's call
By Sam Wallace
Published: 18 January 2008

Gérard Houllier was last night close to agreeing a deal to become the new Republic of Ireland manager. The 60-year-old, who is currently on holiday in America, had been interested in the Newcastle United job, but is expected to agree terms with the Irish FA over the next few days.
The former Liverpool manager has been working for the French federation as their technical director since leaving Lyons last summer having won successive Ligue 1 titles in his two seasons with the club.
Last October he stated his desire to return to international management – he was in charge of France during their unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.
The Irish Under-21 manager Don Givens and the former England coach Don Howe were charged with recruiting Steve Staunton's replacement after his reign ended following the disappointing Euro 2008 qualifying campaign


Irish FA?
On holidays in America?
Did he state a desire to return to international management last year?

[Jerry The Saint]

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/internationals/article3347918.ece

Houllier prepares to answer Ireland's call
By Sam Wallace
Published: 18 January 2008

Gérard Houllier was last night close to agreeing a deal to become the new Republic of Ireland manager. The 60-year-old, who is currently on holiday in America, had been interested in the Newcastle United job, but is expected to agree terms with the Irish FA over the next few days.
The former Liverpool manager has been working for the French federation as their technical director since leaving Lyons last summer having won successive Ligue 1 titles in his two seasons with the club.
Last October he stated his desire to return to international management – he was in charge of France during their unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.
The Irish Under-21 manager Don Givens and the former England coach Don Howe were charged with recruiting Steve Staunton's replacement after his reign ended following the disappointing Euro 2008 qualifying campaign


Irish FA?
On holidays in America?
Did he state a desire to return to international management last year?


since leaving Lyons last summer

Former Meath fullback Mick:confused: I didn't even know they were seeing each other:eek:

[Stuttgart88]

Daily Mail saying Houllier is the candidate

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=508950&in_page_id=1779

Irish eyes are smiling on Houllier
By COLIN YOUN
Last updated at 23:36pm on 17th January 2008


Gerard Houllier emerged on Thursday night as a shock contender for the vacant Republic of Ireland job as the Football Association of Ireland narrow their search for a new coach.

After Reading manager Steve Coppell ruled himself out of contention, the FAI have earmarked the former Liverpool and Lyon boss as a strong candidate to lead their World Cup 2010 campaign.

Houllier, linked with the Newcastle job this week, has met the FAI's three-man management committee and they would like to discuss the vacancy again before making a final recommendation.

Ex-England coach Terry Venables is still the favourite and could be in place next week. But Houllier is an impressive rival with experience and coaching know-how.

Ireland have [Brazil in] Croke Park next month and would prefer to have Steve Staunton's successor in place for that game, but the FAI insist they will not be rushed into an appointment.

They are still keen to talk to former Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce, but ex-Leeds boss David O'Leary said he had rejected an interview because he wants to return to club management.

[Noelys Guitar]

These are the people from Fox soccer that can ask Houllier today if is he going to take the Ireland job. Please email all 3.
http://community.foxsports.com/profiles/profile.aspx?un=keith03
http://community.foxsports.com/profiles/profile.aspx?un=Nick_Webster
http://community.foxsports.com/profiles/profile.aspx?un=BobbyMcMahon

You must first register with Foxsoccer or MSN to be able to send an email. Webster is the head honcho at Fox soccer. Costigan is originally from Dublin. And McMahon is at the conference asking the questions. It won't take many emails asking the same thing to get them to ask the Houllier the question we all want answered.

[NeilMcD]

If he is taking the job I dont think he is going to reveal it that way. Personally I only wanna find out when their is an official announcement.

[paul_oshea]

got this from a pool fan:

"are they mad? Any Liverpool player that did well under him did so in spite of his inability to coach not because he was a good coach, owen was a mess when he left, fowler was ridiculously bad (and fat). The first three seasons he had a really good first team coach, Brugges, when he left, pool went progressively down hill for 2 years. Football and tactics were always rubbish and boring but the players, were playing well individually and were in good shape for those three full seasons, 99/00, 00/01 and 01/02. and he is a very poor judge players, and refuses to accept any portion of blame – it would be a nightmare! I’d hope Houghton would stamp his feet and kick and scream if the other two went for him. Anyway they’re sayin tel again on the radio this morning. Who I would def prefer.

I honestly cant see what houllier has ever done, maybe I’m wrong tho. When france failed to qualify for the world cup in 94, cos Bulgaria (or hungary or someone) equalised in the last minute, he said it was all ginola’s fault for giving the ball away…. Not the fact that they were a goal away from being knocked out after 16 games of league competition…..what a ********…”rigobert song – eat the grass.” Can you imagine what we’d have to listen to? – all over again! Actually I’d prefer Staunton and frank stapleton as joint-managers teaming up than houllier taking over. Rant over! "

[Stuttgart88]

I got this from a Liverpudlian Liverpool fan, not an Irish armchair Liverpool fan who thinks it's their right to be successful:

I think Houllier would be an asset to any team hoping to reach a 7 or 8/10, although I suspect at the v. top end his potential for continued uplift is limited, possibly because of his own lack of playing pedigree and definitely because of his mistrust of flair in favour of a reliance on athletic grenadiers (Smicer, bewilderingly, excepted.) His teams are well prepared, fit, tactically organised and mentally strong.

At any other club his trophy haul at Liverpool, albeit in the lesser cups, would place him in their top three managers. I think Newcastle missed a trick in the summer by not getting him and, health problems in mind, he's probably got one more job in him.

[Lionel Ritchie]

got this from a pool fan:

"are they mad? Any Liverpool player that did well under him did so in spite of his inability to coach not because he was a good coach, owen was a mess when he left, fowler was ridiculously bad (and fat). " Surely Fowler was a Leeds (wage draining non-) player when GH left Anfield?

[citizenerased]

stan and frank stapleton.thats the funniest thing ive ever heard, as if we wernt a laughing stock already...Your mate is having a laugh..Id take hou, he one the mickey mouse treble at liverpool and 2 french titles with lyon...As for Veneables, Houlliers CV, is far more impressive

[SuperDave]

yeah, what about his health? has he not still got a dodgy heart?

can you imagine watching the cyprus game with a bad heart... fuuck me.

[DotTV]

As we all know football fans are fickle. Houllier's name was chanted from the Kop on many many occasions when he was at the helm. Personally I wouldn't take some begrudged Liverpool supporters opinion as a yardstick for our new manager.

If Houllier gets the job he'll be the most qualified manager we have had for years.

[DotTV]

got this from a pool fan:

"are they mad? Any Liverpool player that did well under him did so in spite of his inability to coach not because he was a good coach, owen was a mess when he left, fowler was ridiculously bad (and fat). The first three seasons he had a really good first team coach, Brugges, when he left, pool went progressively down hill for 2 years. Football and tactics were always rubbish and boring but the players, were playing well individually and were in good shape for those three full seasons, 99/00, 00/01 and 01/02. and he is a very poor judge players, and refuses to accept any portion of blame – it would be a nightmare! I’d hope Houghton would stamp his feet and kick and scream if the other two went for him. Anyway they’re sayin tel again on the radio this morning. Who I would def prefer.

I honestly cant see what houllier has ever done, maybe I’m wrong tho. When france failed to qualify for the world cup in 94, cos Bulgaria (or hungary or someone) equalised in the last minute, he said it was all ginola’s fault for giving the ball away…. Not the fact that they were a goal away from being knocked out after 16 games of league competition…..what a ********…”rigobert song – eat the grass.” Can you imagine what we’d have to listen to? – all over again! Actually I’d prefer Staunton and frank stapleton as joint-managers teaming up than houllier taking over. Rant over! "

You're going to listen to this guys opinion!!?

[Stuttgart88]

Personally I wouldn't take some begrudged Liverpool supporters opinion as a yardstick for our new manager.Like Dion Fanning at the Indo!

My personal experience is that local Liverpool fans are a fair bunch whereas the irish Liverpool fans are less realistic. I'd also be curious who the Irish armchair Liverpool fans prefer to see do well, Liverpool or Ireland?

[Block G Raptor]

Agreed, I'm a life long LFC fan, and would love to see GH get the Ireland job. Ok so he didn't win the premiership. some of his buy's were disastrous but I believe that LFC was in a much better state when he left that when he took charge. He knows the game inside out
he's done very well domestically and in the Cl with lyon, and his dedication is unquestionable ffs he nearly died for liverpool and when most would have given up he came back. there is one pre-requisite to him getting the Job: I don't want Phil Thompson anywhere near the Irish squad. so long as GH doesn't want him as assistant I'd be very happy to have him

[Dr. Ogba]

Agreed, I'm a life long LFC fan, and would love to see GH get the Ireland job. Ok so he didn't win the premiership. some of his buy's were disastrous but I believe that LFC was in a much better state when he left that when he took charge. He knows the game inside out
he's done very well domestically and in the Cl with lyon, and his dedication is unquestionable ffs he nearly died for liverpool and when most would have given up he came back. there is one pre-requisite to him getting the Job: I don't want Phil Thompson anywhere near the Irish squad. so long as GH doesn't want him as assistant I'd be very happy to have him

I think the Phil Thompson appointment was so that he would have someone with history at the club in his coaching team. If (big IF) Houllier was appointed I wouldn't be surprised to see someone Irish (say Chris Hughton for example) being drafted in in a similar fashion...

[Block G Raptor]

I think the Phil Thompson appointment was so that he would have someone with history at the club in his coaching team. If (big IF) Houllier was appointed I wouldn't be surprised to see someone Irish (say Chris Hughton for example) being drafted in in a similar fashion...

That's not a bad team when I think of it Houllier and Hughton, with Hughton to step up after WC2010 anyone

[harps1954]

That's not a bad team when I think of it Houllier and Hughton, with Hughton to step up after WC2010 anyone

The other side of the coin is that Houllier and Brian Kerr are big buddies, so you could see Kerr as Houllier's assistant if he got the job.

[tetsujin1979]

The other side of the coin is that Houllier and Brian Kerr are big buddies, so you could see Kerr as Houllier's assistant if he got the job.
I think I remember reading that Houllier wanted Kerr to take over Liverpool's Academy, just before he took over the Ireland senior job

[colster]

The other side of the coin is that Houllier and Brian Kerr are big buddies, so you could see Kerr as Houllier's assistant if he got the job.

Don't think so. He might ask his opinion on Assistants and maybe use him as a scout or something.

[Block G Raptor]

The other side of the coin is that Houllier and Brian Kerr are big buddies, so you could see Kerr as Houllier's assistant if he got the job.

This Get's better and Better, although can you see Kerr coming back as assistant? s'pose venebles did it for England

[citizenerased]

doubt kerr would do it...considering all the crap and the way he was treated by the fai

[reder]

I got this from a Liverpudlian Liverpool fan, not an Irish armchair Liverpool fan who thinks it's their right to be successful:

I think Houllier would be an asset to any team hoping to reach a 7 or 8/10, although I suspect at the v. top end his potential for continued uplift is limited, possibly because of his own lack of playing pedigree and definitely because of his mistrust of flair in favour of a reliance on athletic grenadiers (Smicer, bewilderingly, excepted.) His teams are well prepared, fit, tactically organised and mentally strong.

At any other club his trophy haul at Liverpool, albeit in the lesser cups, would place him in their top three managers. I think Newcastle missed a trick in the summer by not getting him and, health problems in mind, he's probably got one more job in him.

As a red Liverpudlian, I hold no grudges towards the man and think he would be an excellent acquistion. I think some of the criticisms above are a bit strong but the overall sentiment is correct. I certainly wouldnt consider the FA or UEFA cups to be "lesser" cups. None of the other candidates come close to him in truth.

Pay little or no notice to the kneejerk nonsense that comes out of most Liverpool fans this side of the water. As I always say, when G.H. was managing us and we won the cup treble etc, how many of those knockers we crying and whinging or were they too celebrating the success.

Also the fact that he was Head of Technical development of the French F.A. before he joined Liverpool is an excellent bonus. The knowledge he could bring into irish football from his time in that position would be invaluable.

[Fergie's Son]

If, and this is a massive IF, he were given a wider mandate to initiate change throughout the system then yes, Houllier is the best choice by a country mile.

[eirebhoy]

Houllier has a total of €274k staked on him on Betfair. Venables is at €254k. The next best is Brady with €73k.

[geysir]

I think Dayo Richardson has the lowest staked, £22.

[Block G Raptor]

Houllier has a total of €274k staked on him on Betfair. Venables is at €254k. The next best is Brady with €73k.

a thought just occured to me there if the FAI announced Vegatable and Houllier as joint manager would the bookies have to pay out on both ?

[eirebhoy]

a thought just occured to me there if the FAI announced Vegatable and Houllier as joint manager would the bookies have to pay out on both ?
Definitely half the stake for situations like that. Dead heat rules.

[DotTV]

Like Dion Fanning at the Indo!

My personal experience is that local Liverpool fans are a fair bunch whereas the irish Liverpool fans are less realistic. I'd also be curious who the Irish armchair Liverpool fans prefer to see do well, Liverpool or Ireland?

I'm a Liverpool fan but when it comes to Ireland they don't even come into the equation. It sickens me to see certain people's allegiance to a foreign team clouding their judgement on the national team.

[EalingGreen]

got this from a pool fan:

I honestly cant see what houllier has ever done, maybe I’m wrong tho. When france failed to qualify for the world cup in 94, cos Bulgaria (or hungary or someone) equalised in the last minute, he said it was all ginola’s fault for giving the ball away…. Not the fact that they were a goal away from being knocked out after 16 games of league competition…..what a ********…”rigobert song – eat the grass.” Can you imagine what we’d have to listen to? – all over again!

If the FAI could get Houllier then they'd have to take him, since he's by far the best qualified candidate in the frame. And I think he'd do a good job if for no other reasons that his qualities - stature, experience, continental approach etc - are exactly those where Stan fell down, so I think the dressing room would be glad to get him, too.

That said, there is one flaw on his record which would worry me if he were managing my country. The Liverpool fan (above) referred to it. When GH was in charge of the French National team they failed even to to qualify for the 1994 World Cup. This was from a mediocre Group topped by Sweden (15 pts from 10 games), then Bulgaria (14 pts), with France third (13 pts) ahead of Austria, Finland and Israel.

Moreover, the manner of their elimination was embarrassing. Having coasted through the early stages, they effectively only needed to beat bottom team Israel at home in their second last game to qualify, yet they lost 2-3 after having been 2-1 up at half time. Worse was to come in their final game at home to Bulgaria, where a point would still have seen them through. Yet despite being a goal ahead, they eventually lost this one 2-1, via a last minute goal.

I remember seeing GH at the post-match Press Conference, where he put ALL the blame for France's failure to qualify squarely on Ginola for losing the ball before the Bulgarian winner. GH was so trenchant that Ginola's career was effectively finished in France after that.

Yet what GH pointedly ignored was that he had started Ginola on the bench to accommodate a last minute change of formation. In fact, it was GH who brought Ginola on with an hour gone, when the teams were level - hardly the sort of player to defend a point in a crucial home game! Moreover, Ginola actually gave the ball away right by the Bulgarian goalline. GH made no mention of a Bulgarian defender then running 70 yards with the ball past several French players to cross to an unmarked forward. Any one of 4 or 5 Frenchmen could have hacked him down if need be - it was injury time, so a red card wouldn't have mattered.

And it's not as if he had a poor team to work with - if anything his players were even better than those which won the World Cup just four years later:
http://www.fff.fr/cgi-bin/historique/hist_detail.pl?nomatch=516
FRANCE

[8] LAMA Bernard (Paris-Saint Germain F.C.)
[4] DESAILLY Marcel (Milan A.C.)
[12] ROCHE Alain (Paris-Saint Germain F.C.)
[35] BLANC Laurent (A.S. Saint Etienne)
[13] PETIT Emmanuel (A.S. Monaco)
[36] DESCHAMPS Didier (Olympique de Marseille)
[8] LE GUEN Paul (Paris-Saint Germain F.C.)
[39] SAUZÉE Frank (Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio) puis >81 [2] GUÉRIN Vincent (Paris-Saint Germain F.C.)
[4] PEDROS Reynald (F.C. Nantes-Atlantique)
[49] PAPIN Jean-Pierre = (Milan A.C.) puis >69 [7] GINOLA David (Paris-Saint Germain F.C.)
[36] CANTONA Eric =69 (Manchester United F.C.)

Moreover, of Jacquet's 1998 winning squad - rather different from that of GH in 1994 - 19 of the 22 players were 20 or over in 1993 i.e. potentially available to GH.

The spite which GH showed to Ginola seems to reveal to me a critical flaw in his character, which is that when the pressure is at its greatest, he's a "choker", as we saw with Liverpool, where he led them via Cup wins to as high as second in the League, before being blown away by Ferguson and/or Wenger. And when that happened, he laid the blame everywhere else but on his own doorstep. Which is why, imo, he was ultimately disliked by so many of his former players and the Anfield fans.

P.S. Houllier fans can put all this down to the fact that I am a huge Ginola fan; perhaps I should be grateful to GH for driving him to England, and Spurs, via Newcastle!

[Jerry The Saint]

] This was from a mediocre Group topped by Sweden (15 pts from 10 games), then Bulgaria (14 pts), with France third (13 pts) ahead of Austria, Finland and Israel.


As was also pointed out, Sweden came third and Bulgaria fourth in the subsequent World Cup so, like Ireland's 2006 qualifying group, not as mediocre as some people like to make out.

[zenokelly]

Houllier has a total of €274k staked on him on Betfair. Venables is at €254k. The next best is Brady with €73k.

Here, not fully up-to-date with betfair, how do you check this out?

[geysir]

I can answer that one now. Eirebhoy gets out his calculator and ....

Or you can click on the little graph symbol to the left of the name and up pops another window with the info.

[zenokelly]

I can answer that one now. Eirebhoy gets out his calculator and ....

Or you can click on the little graph symbol to the left of the name and up pops another window with the info.

Cheers for that

[Paulh]

I think the Phil Thompson appointment was so that he would have someone with history at the club in his coaching team. If (big IF) Houllier was appointed I wouldn't be surprised to see someone Irish (say Chris Hughton for example) being drafted in in a similar fashion...

I agree. Thompson was chosen because of his knowledge of the club, the area and his great affinity with the fans. I don't think that he is credited as great coach (to his credit, I don't think he claims to be either).

I would love to see Houllier get the job but I can't imagine that he's familiar with our players beyond the high profile ones in the EPL.

I think he needs an assistant and/or coach who does know the RoI set up and players. Personally, I think Chris Houghton would be a marvellous choice but I guess that it's down to chemistry with Houllier.

I just hope that Houllier (assuming that he gets the job) brings in someone with the right background and experience to assist him.

I'd have no problem with Kerr but, frankly, I doubt that he'd take it after the way that he was treated by the FAI (and I wouldn't blame him for that).

[carloz]

I think the simple fact of the matter is that Houllier, as recent as two years ago was managing one of the top teams in Europe in the Champions League. What right has anyone to turn their nose up at him. To say he is in another league to the other candidates is almost an understatement. Venables fans, all two of them, will use the example of of a La liga win 23 years ago. Nothing said about the last half a dozen jobs he has had and been a disaster in. I actually feel that Houllier was a relative sucess at Liverpool. He won trophies and that to me adds up to success...it will be a hell of a long time till you seeanyone bring the Premiership to Liverpool so i think it is unfair to use that against him. I actually think that his failings in the 1994 qualifying campaign could be a positive for us as it will give him the hunger not to do that agin and to succeed. As has been pointed out it was Sweden and Bulgaria, the teams that finished 3rd and 4th that knocked out France. The main point is that Houllier is an outstanding candidate and if he were interested in the jo we should be biting his hand off.

[tetsujin1979]

We've dismissed the likes of Venables and O'Leary for many reasons, but one of the constant complaints is that if no Premiership side wants either of them, why should we be speaking to them? Well, Houllier's boss had to issue a statement that he wasn't going to Newcastle, which is seen as a big job in the Premiership. So who are we to turn him down, if he is interested?

[Noelys Guitar]

We've dismissed the likes of Venables and O'Leary for many reasons, but one of the constant complaints is that if no Premiership side wants either of them, why should we be speaking to them? Well, Houllier's boss had to issue a statement that he wasn't going to Newcastle, which is seen as a big job in the Premiership. So who are we to turn him down, if he is interested?

According to news reports now he was never in the running for the Newcastle job. I would suggest Gerard has a good agent.

[geysir]

The Newcastle job isn´t a good example. Logic is suspended there.
When Keegans name was mentioned here, did anybody want him @ £750k p/a?
Yet Newcastle give him a £5m? p/a contract.

Houllier is into the seminar phase of his of his life, travelling all over the world, receiving 5 star hospitality, giving seminars on how to to set up a winning team. He is seen as a man who has managed a top team and done well. He is articulate and intelligent. He has a top job with the FFA. Newcastle day to day grind with a relegation squad and moaning fans would not interest him.
He has it made.
I could see him do the Ireland job and keeping his profile intact.
We would be fortunate top get him for 2 or 4 years.

[Noelys Guitar]

The Newcastle job isn´t a good example. Logic is suspended there.
When Keegans name was mentioned here, did anybody want him @ £750k p/a?
Yet Newcastle give him a £5m? p/a contract.

Houllier is into the seminar phase of his of his life, travelling all over the world, receiving 5 star hospitality, giving seminars on how to to set up a winning team. He is seen as a man who has managed a top team and done well. He is articulate and intelligent. He has a top job with the FFA. Newcastle day to day grind with a relegation squad and moaning fans would not interest him.
He has it made.
I could see him do the Ireland job and keeping his profile intact.
We would be fortunate top get him for 2 or 4 years.

That all means nothing unless he can get this team over the line for the 2010 WC finals. I heard all this when Kerr took over. I agree that Houllier has the best recent record of those that are in the running for the job but I am not convinced he will get the group of players we have over the line.

[Saint Tom]

That all means nothing unless he can get this team over the line for the 2010 WC finals. I heard all this when Kerr took over. I agree that Houllier has the best recent record of those that are in the running for the job but I am not convinced he will get the group of players we have over the line.

I'm not conviced our players can get over the line, but anything other than the lathargic effort we saw in the last campaign is an improvement. Think Ealing Green, for all the abuse he gets, can be very astute in his reading of things.

[4tothefloor]

I said at the very outset that GH was the outstanding candidate. Just look at his recent record. Venables is a gamble. While he may be more attacking than Houllier, u have to question his recent record when it's compared to a candidate like Houllier. Look at it this way, as bad as we are now, our home record is pretty decent. Our problem has always been getting a result away from home. Who would be better at grinding out the away results required, Houllier or El Tel? It's Houllier hands down. We have an inexperienced batch of young players that need organisation. Houllier is the man and I for one will be shaking my head in dismay if it's Venables sitting before the press next week...

[Deckydee]

Ireland job is Houllier's to refuse

http://www.tribune.ie/article.tvt?_scope=Tribune/Sport/Soccer&id=82459&SUBCAT=Tribune/Sport

[geysir]

The Indo reports that Houllier is on a good salary with the FFA, about €1.6m p/a and there is no contract waiver for compensation for an International job.
Houllier - a bit rich already (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/given-frustrated-at-manager-delay-1269654.html)
That's what you would call a stumbling block.

[eirebhoy]

Howe Backs Houllier For Ireland Role (http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=553866)

Nothing in it really.

[Kingdom]

The Indo reports that Houllier is on a good salary with the FFA, about €1.6m p/a and there is no contract waiver for compensation for an International job.
Houllier - a bit rich already (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/given-frustrated-at-manager-delay-1269654.html)
That's what you would call a stumbling block.

Yeah this Mr A Source guy really knows his stuff. He seems to get into every article an Independent Media Journalist writes. Fanning wants Venables. Fanning knows that the media in this country seemingly have some sort of sway with the board or a stranglehold on Joe Public's thoughts, so if they can put some doubt into the public eye of going after Houllier then they will. As long as they get their man.

Delaney has gone on record with the money the FAI has got the past year. He has gone on record as saying money won't be an issue. He should put his money where his mouth is, and stump up the cash for Houllier (if he is actually available/interested. I'd much prefer for €3m to be spent on Houllier, than €2m on Venables and any of his cronies.

As an aside and unfortunately off-topic, Fanning made a remarkable turnabout on Benitez today. Hails him as a saviour of Liverpool and a true visionary for his 'outing' of the American bluffers. It wasn't too long ago that he derided Benitez as being a bluffer himself. He's a b*llox that bloke and I'm fcuking sick of him and his p*xy articles.

[geysir]

Even with upping the salary from €400,000 to a 7 figure sum we are still not attracting a list of quality interested candidates so maybe Dunphy had a point about needing pay the most for the best.
Maybe I am just too mean but with 6 to 8 games a year its ridiculous overkill to be offering to pay a manager a ratio of €400,000 to €500,000 per game.
Bribing the ref might be a better investment.