'Stubborn' Houllier vows to finish the job
Gerard Houllier knows the calls for him to quit will intensify after the defeat to Manchester United but has vowed not to be deflected from his objective to shape Liverpool’s future.
The phone-ins were buzzing with fans wanting his head after defeat to the Reds’ bitter rivals appeared to have killed off their Barclaycard Premiership title challenge once and for all.
Houllier has clearly seen it all before and quipped: “I suppose it will be Martin O’Neill again.
“People are going to say we lost 2-1 to Arsenal, 2-1 to Chelsea and 2-1 to Manchester United. But it is such a fine margin.
“I am stubborn, I will keep going because I believe this is the future. There is a watershed, we have changed our style and I want to keep that going,” he added.
“There is a fine line between failure and success, at the moment it is not on our side. What I can say is that we will keep going and I am sure things will start going our way.
“We have to be strong mentally. The second part of the season will be interesting when we get more used to what we are doing. We go forward and will keep going forward.”
Houllier is determined to complete the job of masterminding Liverpool’s style change from drab to dramatic.
A Ryan Giggs brace put United in control before Harry Kewell halved their lead and the home side were denied a late penalty when Florent Sinama-Pongolle appeared to be tripped by Rio Ferdinand.
Houllier was furious about the failure to award a penalty but added: “Of course the result against United was not right and people are going to say this and that about us.
“But we must keep going. It is like a building site at the moment and I am starting something different, I just want to keep that going.
“Realistically the fourth position is what we are aiming at because the top three are pulling away now. But you never know, they are all playing Champions League and we are not, I feel the second half of the season will be very interesting.”
Houllier even had to deny after the Anfield game that there was any truth in speculation that Tottenham were chasing him as their new boss – his Everton counterpart David Moyes was also linked with the job at the weekend.
“I am flattered but I have a contract at Liverpool and intend to see it through,” Houllier insisted.
That contract still has two years to run and he is now focused on transforming Liverpool, even if the title is already unrealistic before the end of November.
He said: “That was still one of our best games this season. I told the lads afterwards that we have progressed, we have improved many aspects of our game. We must keep strong, we are on the wrong side of the fine line, but we will be right soon.
“Our game is all about tempo and movement and how we impose ourselves in the game.
“We are on the wrong side of the fine line between success and failure because we are changing our side and planning for the future. We have to keep going that way, I am sure we will get there.
“I told my lads what I will tell everyone, and that is that we are definitely going somewhere, definitely. Our game has changed and I will not compromise with the game that we play."
