• Exclusive - Collymore: 'Houllier's appointment isn't a positive move'

    Stan Collymore has spoken of his disappointment at the appointment of Gerard Houllier as Aston Villa manager after the ex-Liverpool boss signed a two-year deal at Villa Park.

    Houllier has not managed since leaving Lyon in 2007 and Collymore has voiced his concern that the Frenchman does not have enough Premier League experience to take the club forward.

    He told talkSPORT: “If it was a manager that was looking to build the club and take it on from three sixth-placed finishes with Martin O’Neill surely you’d give him longer than two years.

    “[An interim manager is] what Randy Lerner and Paul Faulkner are viewing it as. It’s almost a kind of trial. If he needs to have a trial then it doesn’t send to me, as an Aston Villa supporter, a very positive sign."

    Collymore didn’t play under Houllier at Liverpool but was critical of the way his tenure at Anfield ended and his transfer policy, adding: “You can almost break Gerard Houllier’s English career into two parts, before his heart problems and after."

    “Before his heart problems [Liverpool] won the treble, and then he was out for five months and failed to finish in the Champions League. He spent a lot of dough on people like El Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao, Bruno Cheyrou and lots of people from France. The worry for me is that Aston Villa have a really good British-based first team and academy.”
     

    Related Content
    Tags
There are 6 comments. Login or register to get involved and have your say.

Comments

Comment by paul40 posted Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 15:53

I cant understand this hes only signed a 2 year deal ! were is the long term vision for the club ? im worried up the villa : )


Comment by ant4eva_avfc posted Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 09:25

I disagree with Stan, in my opinion Gerard Houiller is a very good manager the best out of the possiable candidates whould you prefer Sven Goran Ericksson, Alec McCleash, Alan Curbsley. I know who I have Gerard Houiller all day long he can take the club forward and we can finish beyond sixth and maybe acutally win some silverware to wipe the dust out of the cabiant. If Gerard gets the backing of the players as well as the board we can strive to be one of the best in the league. A two yaer contract is ideal and how do we know there isnt any other clauses in the contract to extend after the two years, and It is ideal also because if it didnt work out Randy would not have to pay millions to him to terminate the contract. After a few games the fickle Aston Villa fans will change their tune and jumping on the band wagon. Well done Randy and the Villa board lets move forward and start achieving things.


Comment by avfcuk posted Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 08:40

When you consider the other options for manager (Curbishley, Southgate and Sven), then this, to me, is a very positive appointment. Houllier's experience is vastly more impressive and relevant, even if he hasn't managed in the Premiership since 2007. Certainly more impressive than MON's Premiership experience.

I don't see the point of negative comments, when you haven't given the man a chance. Get behind the board and support the team! Up the Villa!


Comment by parrdavid posted Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 08:37

surely this fella deserves a chance. plenty of good managers have made mistakes before. especially in the transfer market. even fergie! give him a chance before getting all negative. he's not who i would have chosen but he's manager of my team now, and i for one, will be supportive. after all who else were we gonna get? you might be surprised. he just might be better than mon. it is possible!


Comment by Stavros posted Thursday, September 9, 2010 - 07:09

I agree with Stan on alot of the points he made although he bought most the side that Liverpool won the 2005 Champions League with. A 63 year old on a 2 year contract does not look like long term planning. I hope Kevin Mac stays on as his number 2 and potentially can be a realistic contender to replace him. We've got to get behind him now though..UTV


Comment by likwidboy posted Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 23:00

O'Neil only had a 1 year rolling contract, so how is this worse? Judging a manager's entire career based on a few dodgy signings, or a strange tactical decision is totally naive. His record is better than Martin's and I would rather we had an experienced European campaigner who has football in his blood, than a money grabbing Swedish pillock or a premier league 'also ran'. Houllier is an intriguing appointment that should have all villains cautiously optimistic.