Carragher: Houllier and Benitez were no failures

Carragher: Houllier and Benitez were no failures

Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher believes the Reds have a long way to go to get back to the summit of English football:

“Liverpool get a lot of criticism. People say we live in the past – that we should be ­winning this and that. But the truth is Liverpool have not won the league for the past 20 years. Kenny did a fantastic job in his first spell but Liverpool was already steeped in success. In the two years before his ­appointment they had been to two European Cup finals. I hear people criticise Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez, ­saying they are failures because they didn’t win the league – yet I have to disagree with that. But if ­Kenny can get us back to where we were when he left in 1991, that in itself would be a brilliant achievement.”



http://live4liverpool.com/2011/02/view-from-the-kop/carragher-houllier-and-benitez-were-no-failures

Makes perfect sense.

Getting this Liverpool team back to what it was like 20 years ago will take a lot of time and a lot of money. We have 1 piece of the puzzle done, getting King Kenny as manager.

I don't think Houllier and Benitez were failures, I just think they didn't truly understand the importance of winning the league.

I think they understood the importance of winning the league, but not the difficulty. One bad signing  , one bad decision is all it takes to blow your chances when you haven't got the money to overcome your problems. Both almost got it right, but both made crucial mistakes and it ended up costing us our chance of the league and ultimately their jobs.

Kenny has a hell of a job on if he is to get us back on our perch, but hopefully he will have a little more money to ease his burden and he already has all the experience required to avoid some of the pitfalls.

To win the league you need luck, team spirit, hard work and the right players at the right time. The determination to overcome all setbacks and not accept or make excuses when things go wrong, but to fight to put things right in the next game.

     

 

Fair post, Saint.

I suppose in terms of our '70's and '80's glory days, they could well be considered failures.

But compared to the decade that followed, the poor football and lack of trophies, these two men went some way to restoring those great times.

Now we have Kenny back, who understands the fans and what they desire the most. He's going to give his all to get us what we want, and we'll back him all the way.

Can't ask more.

To all those who say they are failures ask them who they support and if they have had nights like those we had in season 2000/.2001 Houllier  or season 2004/2005/ there are fans and clubs up and down the country who would give it all to experience nights like those.

As stated you need a bit of luck to win the league in Rafas case that little bit of luck he needed just eluded him coming second with the best goal difference was not a failure it was just very very unlucky.

I have said before because we dominated the 70's and 80's, does not give us a god given right to win the league.

That has been proven, the club just has not been as good as United and Arsenal.

We fell behind and I'm not sure any manager would have won the league bar if Kenny had stayed on in 1991.

No point looking to the past now though, we will move forward and hopefully win a league under the current regime

Both Houllier and Benitez enjoyed considerable success and neither can be judged as failures.

Under Benitez we mounted a serious title challenge for the first time since 95/96 under Roy Evans. Very unlucky not to win it, and we were the best team in the Premiership that season by a mile. 

Houllier enjoyed considerable cup success but despite finishing second, never mounted a serious challenge.

I don't expect us to win the league every year, but we should always be up there challenging. Anything else isn't good enough irrespective of whose manager.

Yes winning 5 trophies in 1 season is woeful and winning the CL in your first season is a disaster. Who are these people who say these things?.

We live in the past right! So winning between 2001-now means its the past. If we get our hands on the premiership Stevie and Carra would have won everything that its worth winning as a club player.
European Cup Winners 2004-05
Fa Cup 2005-2006
League Cup 2000-01, 2002-03
UEFA Cup 2000-01
Given that is not good enough for us but common we are still up there. All we need is that extra gear! Common u reds