That's it, the final fucking straw. If you're a member of the 'GH will get it right, this is just a blip" brigade, then I suggest you stop reading now and go and read the official match report on lfc.tv, as this won't make for pleasant viewing.
My patience with Houllier has been wearing thinner and thinner by the week, and tonight it reached breaking point. This was perhaps the angriest I've ever felt whilst watching a game at Anfield. Angrier even than the dark days under Souness when we lost to the likes of Bolton and Bristol City.
For the record, let me state that I want Houllier out. I've wanted it for a while now, as anyone who knows me will confirm, but I've been reluctant to say it on here or in the fanzine because pubicly calling for a manager's head is not something to be done lightly, and I was really hoping that things would start to pick up after winning the Worthy Cup.
On the surface, GH's sycophants will point to wins over Bolton and Spurs and say that things were picking up, but I'm sorry, I couldn't disagree more. We beat Bolton despite playing only one man up front at home, and everyone is beating Spurs lately because they're shite without Robbie Keane.
Tonight though, all the usual failings were there. If a team comes to Anfield and is well organised and takes their chances, they'll get a result. Fact. One look at our pitiful home record is proof of that.
Celtic came to Anfield and deservedly won. They were much the better side, and we can have no complaints. Good luck to them, I hope they go on and win it now.
Afterwards Houllier spouted the usual shit. He enjoyed the game, he can't fault the commitment of his side, we have a group of young players who will improve and blah blah blah. Fuck off, you're sounding more and more like O'Leary by the week.
If that sounds disrespectful that's becaused it's fucking well meant to be. I'm sick of Houllier insulting our intelligence with his ludicrous post match excuses. He's O'Leary mark II in my opinion.
The bottom line is that we entered this season hoping to make a serious challenge for the title and the CL. By November, both were distant pipe dreams. Not good enough. The Worthington Cup was a great day out, and we played very well on the day, but ultimately it doesn't make up for what else has happened this term.
Any average team can win the Worthy Cup. Leicester, Spurs and Blackburn being prime examples. Winning that trophy may be good enough for fans of clubs like that (no disrespect intended to them) but since when is it good enough for us?
We were knocked out of the CL by FC Basle. We lost at home to Palace in the FA Cup, and now Celtic have embarrassed us at home to knock us out of the UEFA. We're a piss poor side right now, and for that we can hold one man responsible.
I appreciate all that GH did in his early days, and will forever remember the treble season, but the sad fact is that since returning from his illness, he isn't the same man and in my opinion he has totally lost the plot. There are so many reasons I could bring up to back up that point, but it's 3.45 a.m. right now, so forgive me if I choose not to start listing them all. You know them all anyway.
As for this game, we started brightly, but when plan A failed to produce a goal, we were screwed and the longer the game went, the better Celtic got. For what it's worth, I didn't think the free-kick they got for the opening goal was the right decision, but it's irrelevant. We had plenty of time to come back, but never looked like doing so.
GH brought on Baros, but after that didn't have a clue what to do. At 1-0 down, his response was to have Igor fucking Biscan warm up!!!! He's hardly a matchwinner is he? On the bench we had a lad who has scored 17 goals in as many games for the reserves this season. God forbid we should throw him on.
It's fair to say that a lot of the players did not produce tonight, especially in midfield. Stevie G was basically a one man show. He had to try and do everything himself, because NO-ONE else contributed. Hamann played like someone who knows he's about to be offloaded in the summer, likewise Smicer. Murphy has been our best player this season, but tonight he was woeful.
Heskey was... well Heskey, and after a bright start Owen disappeared largely through a lack of service. The most damning thing to come out of this though was that we made John Hartson look like Gabriel Batistuta in his prime.
Houllier apologists can say whatever they like, but the facts speak for themselves. £100m spent, and we're currently below Everton in the table. Basle, Palace and now Celtic have humbled us, and we went three months without a home win in the league.
I don't want Houllier in charge next season, and am now speaking out to say so. I have no confidence in him whatsoever anymore, and certainly wouldn't be giving him any more money to waste on mediocre foreign players.
I am not alone in my thinking either. Privately, almost everyone I know would be happy to see Gerard go, although many would not admit it publicly for fear of being seen as disloyal. Well I support Liverpool Football Club, not Gerard Houllier FC. If I think it's in the best interests of the club to get a new manager, then I'll say so, and that is what I'm doing. If in the eyes of some that makes me less of a fan, then so be it.
The players may have been poor tonight, but who bought them? Who trains them? Who picks them? I had said in the editorial of the last issue of the fanzine that I would wait until the end of the season before deciding where I stand as regards the manager's future. Well for me, tonight was the end of the season and so I'm saying I've had enough.
I could go on and on, but it's now 4.03 a.m. and I'm tired and extremely pissed off. This is not a knee jerk reaction to a defeat, it's how I've felt for a considerable time. What tonight has done however, is removed any benefit of doubt I was trying to give him.
There'll be those who agree with me, and those who don't. But before you email me or go on the forum to have a pop, ask yourself this. Are you defending GH because you still believe in him, or because you think it makes you a 'better fan' to defend the manager?
I don't want Houllier in charge any more. If he is still in charge next season, I see things carrying on in much the same way they are now. Boring performances, poor results, humiliating defeats to sides we should be hammering out of sight, player unrest and infuriatingly patronising after match comments from Le Boss.
12 months ago I never dreamed I'd be saying stuff like this, but it's how I feel and I'm through pussyfooting around the subject. Time will tell whether I've jumped the gun, or if I'm right in wanting him out. One thing is for sure, if he is to stay and turn it around, he's going to have to completely change his philosophy and approach to management. I don't think he can. Do you?
TEAM: Jerzy Dudek; Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, Djimi Traore, John Arne Riise; Danny Murphy, Steven Gerrard, Didi Hamann, Vladimir Smicer (Milan Baros), Emile Heskey, Michael Owen:
