Hard times: Gerard Houllier insists he has the back
of Villa owner Randy Lerner despite a string of poor
results
Gerard Houllier says he still has the backing of
Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner as he blamed the
mental weakness of under-performing senior players for the club’s
slide down the Barclays Premier League.
Villa’s beleaguered boss insists the American billionaire
remains firmly behind him after five defeats in six and a miserable
showing at Manchester City four days ago left the visiting
supporters in uproar.
Another limp display at Stamford Bridge tomorrow — a ground
where Villa shipped seven goals last season — will only heap
further pressure on their boss who, ironically, is preparing to
hold out an olive branch to some of those players he has
alienated.
Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner were shocked at the
capitulation at Eastlands — which led to calls from fans for
Houllier’s head — but it seems Villa’s top brass are unwilling as
yet to show the Frenchman the door.
Houllier is convinced that Lerner still backs his plans to turn
around the club’s fortunes. However, it is feasible that by the
time Villa kick off in west London they will be in the bottom
three.
‘We know we are going through a difficult period,’ said
Houllier, ‘but any club is a unit. This includes the chairman, the
staff and the medical people. Everyone is together. And the
chairman trusts me. This trust extends to the players.
‘In life, when you have adversity there is either fight or
flight. We will fight. I knew there would be pressure and there is
more pressure when you don’t win games. But I knew that anyway.
Back in the squad: Richard Dunne has had his ups
and downs with Houllier
‘And when you don’t get results, the supporters will
always look at you. Players win games and managers lose them. But I
was watching Mark Hughes at Fulham. He said that one week ago,
everyone was on at him. One away win changed things.’
Whispers are circulating that Lerner was considering asking
former caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald to bridge the gap between
the dressing room and the manager’s office to restore morale among
the players.
But were that to happen — even though the Scot was snubbed as
Martin O’Neill’s successor at the club — it would leave Houllier in
an almost untenable position. It would amount to an admission by
the decision-makers that he cannot repair relations with several
senior players.
One of those — Richard Dunne — has been called into the squad
for tomorrow’s trip.
But there is still no sign of Stephen Ireland and John Carew is
still three games from starting. ‘There will be a way back for
them,’ added Villa’s boss.
When asked to pinpoint why Villa have struggled when, 12 months
ago, they were fighting for a Champions League place, Houllier
suggested the senior players weren’t pulling their weight.
He added: ‘The younger ones have done their job but they need a
rest sometimes. I’m glad to see some of the experienced ones coming
back. I think some of these have been very affected, mentally, by
what’s been going on.’
