Gerard Houllier

[Over the post]

Are we really so special that we can't appoint a former Liverpool & Lyon manager, French national team manager and national director of football at France?

In a word, yes. Only unproven/unsuccessful Irish managers or English TV pundits with time on their hands need apply.

[Drumcondra 69er]

Yes, we have to accept there is no ideal candidate and whoever is chosen will have "baggage".

I didn't favour Jewell because of his poor record at Wednesday. He failed to turn them around and it seems to be the same at Derby.

Venables I don't like because he is a spiv and didn't really achieve much at England, despite having home advantage in a tournament he didn't have to pre-qualify for. As I said before, if we had a tournament in Ireland, I'd expect semi-final minimum.

Houllier: I just have a memory of him being average at Liverpool and not very inspirational.

However, we're not Brazil, England or Germany and the really top managers won't be interested in us so we'll just have to take whatever manager is proposed, warts and all, so long as it isn't a dream team of a novice and father time as his assistant, and the manager has some experience and some success previously, which could be any of the three I mentioned above and others.

Much as I'm not a Houlier fan his time at Liverpool is being dismissed by many incorrectly, he won the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup and got them to 2nd in the league (albeit he was ill for part of that season) which is as good as they've done since 1990. Liverppol is a poison chalice in any case, they're exactly like Man U were in the 80's. He also won 2 French titles with Lyon since and had them performing in the Champions League.

He may well be irritating (his bull**** about 'winning 5 trophies' when two of them were the Charity Shield and the Super Cup for example) but he has a good recent record and we can't turn our nose up at someone of that calibre. I'd be happy enough with certain reservations if he were to get the job.

[superfrank]

I didn't favour Jewell because of his poor record at Wednesday. He failed to turn them around and it seems to be the same at Derby.

I understand you're a Wednesday fan so you may have a biased view of Paul Jewell but he did well at Bradford to get them promoted in the first place and then to keep them up. He did very well at Wigan, no one can deny that. He's only had a few weeks at Derby and the players he had were not up to the Premiership, wait til the end of the season to judge him there. But he's not going to be Ireland manager at this stage so let's move on.

Venables I don't like because he is a spiv and didn't really achieve much at England, despite having home advantage in a tournament he didn't have to pre-qualify for. As I said before, if we had a tournament in Ireland, I'd expect semi-final minimum.

Are you serious? Ireland would be lucky to get to the QF's in any tournament, no matter where it's held.

Houllier: I just have a memory of him being average at Liverpool and not very inspirational.

Houllier brought Liverpool back to the CL for the first time in years. He wasn't particularly popular but that shouldn't take away from his achievments there.

[shakermaker1982]

I agree with Stuttgart - who gives a monkeys about what some scouser fans think of the bloke? If he's the best man for the job (on paper he is) then give him a two year contract and see how he fares. Every manager buys duds - Fergie, Benitez, yes even Wenger (Franny Jeffers anyone) so his transfer dealings don't worry me greatly.

[RockofGibraltar]

houllier along with martin jol is by far the best candidate that has been mentioned since stan got the boot...i mean someone name someone better person for the job seriously...we're not brazil like

[Lionel Ritchie]

Houllier would be fine. Plenty of others who have managerial experience will be just fine as well. I think we're all a little over-anxious about the CV and medal cabinet of applicants because we don't want another sows ear presented as a silk purse.

The two most successful, consistent international managers we've had -Jack and Mick - themselves had pretty patchy (in Micks case plain dodgy) managerial careers before arriving here. They did fine. It's not rocket science -IF you've the groundwork done and merit badges earned elsewhere.

[ifk101]

"Insiders say that the former Liverpool and France chief is in prime position to benefit from uncertainty surrounding Terry Venables ..... blah, blah, blah".

Houiller will be in the country for a coaching conference shortly after the selection panel presents its findings to the FAI. I think somebody's "insiders" have added 2+2 together and gotten 5.

[amaccann]

Oh noes!
Houllier hasn't a 100% clean record of trophies, championships & "win". CLEARLY he's not suitable to lead our elite team of champions.

Jee.sus.

[NeilMcD]

Fcuk them so. If you're Irish what should feelings about English club teams have to do with the Irish national team?

Spot on Stuttgart. I think Houllier would be a very good candidate too.

[Jerry The Saint]

Houllier, however, has emerged as the favourite.

Not according to any bookies or betting exchanges I've seen.

The amount of spoofery and scamola attached to this appointment is beyond ridiculous. I don't doubt that some shadowy character may have "tipped" McDonnell off about Houllier's impending job offer but who's to say the source wasn't making it up or deliberately feeding shaky information. Or that the source's source wasn't mistaken. Or that all sources are dead-on accurate that Houllier is the No. 1 choice but he has no actual chance of getting the job because John Delaney thinks he may have thrown a croissant at him in a Paris bistro that one time...

On the other hand, it's obvious that a lot of media outlets are happy to let their imagination run wild with tales of secret meetings between out-of-work managers and Delaney in the back room of Peter Marks, often in a transparent attempt to manipulate the betting markets.

In a very short space of time Keegan went from 499/1 to 4/1 and back out to 249/1 and is now available at 109/1 again

[tetsujin1979]

I don't doubt that some shadowy character may have "tipped" McDonnell off about Houllier's impending job offer but who's to say the source wasn't making it up or deliberately feeding shaky information.

Coincidentally enough, or perhaps not, McDonnell was one of the first to announce that Stan was a serious candidate for the Ireland job, and he had Sir Bobby as being involved as well.

[Over the post]

The delay in making the appointment is leading to all kinds of speculation. Both Chris Coleman and Sam Allardyce look like they may become available in the next few days and their odds (currently both at 50/1) will shorten in no time. I don't think Allardyce would be a bad choice but Houllier is a better candidate.
If Coleman does decide to stick it out at Real Sociedad, the man currently lined up to replace him, former Deportivo coach Javier Irureta, will find himself at a loose end. Mind you, he's foreign.

[Noelys Guitar]

I always thought the FAI would chose Houllier above all other candidates. Delaney had stated he preferred a non-British style manager. Houllier is a clever man and media friendly. Which is why I backed Houllier at 40/1. But I will be very surprised if he leaves his current job. He is the only candidate of the front runners who could get a job tomorrow as a manager at a top European club. Having said all that I am not a fan of his time at Liverpool. But he has shown he can win things so if he wants the job then he will get it. McDonell in his article states that McCArthy is the back up if Houllier does not want the job. We should start a poll on here to see who would accept McCarthy back. I would if no top candidate comes forward.

[Wolfie]

As the "wish list" has been completely eroded away to nothing - I suppose we've all had to reappraise who we'd like to see in the job.

If it is indeed a choice of Houllier, El Tel, McCarthy, Dalglish or Brady - I'd go for Houllier.

I had all but resigned myself to El Tel getting it so its an encouraging development.

This bloody "process" is worse than water torture. Put us out of our misery, for the love of god.

[OwlsFan]

I always thought the FAI would chose Houllier above all other candidates.

Hang on, I thought your insider knowledge had Glen Hoddle as the next manager

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=80151

[citizenerased]

horrible process. the most drawn out saga ever...faffing about, waiting till no one is available!

[Noelys Guitar]

Hang on, I thought your insider knowledge had Glen Hoddle as the next manager

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=80151

I placed the bet on Houllier weeks ago after Delaney stated he did not want a British style manager. Houllier has not been interviewed and has never stated his interest in the ireland job. Hoddle has been interviewed and of those interviewed so far is considered leading candidate because he got a team through WC qualifying(which says a lot about the other candidates). Why do you think MM is now being touted for a return. The leading candidate is Hoddle followed by Brady of those interviewed.

[NeilMcD]

I placed the bet on Houllier weeks ago after Delaney stated he did not want a British style manager. Houllier has not been interviewed and has never stated his interest in the ireland job. Hoddle has been interviewed and of those interviewed so far is considered leading candidate because he got a team through WC qualifying(which says a lot about the other candidates). Why do you think MM is now being touted for a return. The leading candidate is Hoddle followed by Brady of those interviewed.

Do you have a list of those that were interviewed.

[geysir]

It's all in the way Noely stares into his pint glass, has crystal ball powers.

What would Mrs Houllier have to say about the Irish job being offered to Gerard.?

[Stuttgart88]

What would Mrs Houllier have to say about the Irish job being offered to Gerard.?

I hope she's not accompanying him to Dundalk.