Product Description

"Gerard who?" was the question Liverpool fans asked when a rather academic-looking Frenchman arrived at Anfield in the summer of 1998 to partner Roy Evans. They soon found out, although not before the uneasy pairing with Evans had ended in tears. Many more questions were posed early on, particularly when Gerard Houllier brought in a number of players very few had ever heard of. Could this really be the man who had masterminded France's famous victory in the World Cup and who was promising to turn Liverpool into a world-beating side? After six months, Houllier decided that Anfield needed the biggest shake-up since the days of Bill Shankly. In his time at Liverpool the Frenchman has overturned many of the old bootroom traditions, revolutionizing training methods, banning alcohol, introducing new dietary codes and ridding the club of the Spice Boy image that had dogged it throughout much of the 1990s. He has sold most of the players he inherited and even had the audacity to sell Kop idol Robbie Fowler. Off the pitch too, a sharper commercial attitude has been developed to bring Liverpool FC into the 21st century. Success may not have been immediate and many more doubts were raised about Houllier's ability, yet in just his second full season at the club Liverpool won a unique treble. When in February 2002 Houllier was rushed to hospital with heart problems, the world of football held its breath. But five months later he returned to bask in the warmth and admiration of the Kop. This is the story of Houllier's revolution and the man who has brought the glory days back to Anfield.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #747316 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 266 pages

About the Author
Stephen F. Kelly is the author of many books on Liverpool including biographies of Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and Bill Shankly. A former shipyard draughtsman, he was later educated at Ruskin College, Oxford and the London School of Economics. He was for many years a political journalist and then a producer with Granada Television. Now a freelancer writer, he has written for many publications including the Guardian, the New Statesman, the Independent and The Scotsman.

Customer Reviews

Far too many errors for an author of Kelly's experience.
This so-called biography does not do justice to Gerard Houllier and is an insult to the intelligence of Liverpool fans who, after all, are the target audience expected to shell out 19 quid for the dubious privilege of reading this error-ridden book.

For the passing neutral, with no great knowledge of Liverpool FC circa 1990-present, the book would probably be given pass marks. It would come across as reasonably informative and give the neutral some sort of insight into a traumatic period where Liverpool went from being the number one team in the country, to a complete laughing stock and back to something approaching potential greatness. The last part largely due to the professionalism, passion and all-round managerial ability of Monsieur Houllier.

Unfortunately, for the scrupulous Reds fan, it is impossible to see past the many factual errors that the author makes and, therefore, no enjoyment is forthcoming. Also, because there are so many inaccuracies that any fan that has followed Liverpool through the past decade-or-so can easily identify, it becomes impossible to believe anything the author tells you. It was getting to the point where it wouldn’t have been a complete surprise if the author had suggested that Phil Babb could play a bit.

A couple of irritating examples:

1. The author, when commenting on the Souness years, laments the decision to play the newly arrived, and struggling, Nigel Clough every week, when the mercurial Peter Beardsley was available to step in and take the pressure off the new boy. Someone should have told Kelly that: Beardsley left the club in 1991; Clough arrived in 1993.
2. Discussing Liverpool’s awful run around December/January time of the 2001/02 season, the author states that Liverpool went into the match with Manchester United at Old Trafford five points behind the leaders after only winning one of their last nine premiership games. No problems so far. In the very next sentence, however, he claims that Liverpool had, prior to the poor run, been 11 points behind United, but that the mancs had suffered a poor run of their own. The author obviously didn’t stop to think for a nanosecond exactly how Liverpool, with only one win in nine remember, had managed to gain six points on the team that at that point in time was still leading the table. Liverpool were, of course, 11 points clear of Manchester before their run of poor form commenced. Manchester, far from suffering a bout of poor form of their own, had put together an impressive run of results that had turned an 11-point deficit into a 5-point lead. Honestly, if Kelly cannot get his facts correct on something that happened less than two years ago then how can he be trusted to provide accurate data of more historical events?

There are so many other examples that we could be here listing all the errors from now until the time that Everton manage to finish above Liverpool in the table (or even take a point when the two meet at Goodison). It’s just not worth the effort though…

Alas, all is not lost to Liverpool fans who want to read about the good things that Houllier has done for the club and who would like more of an insight into what makes the man tick. Conrad Mewton has written a book: “The Red Revolution – Liverpool under Houllier”.

Redmen and women alike would be well advised to pick up a copy of Mewton’s book if it’s a choice between one and the other.

Kelly reveals the stories behind the myteries
It might have been a poor season for LIverpool but all Liverpool fans can at least sit back this summer and read about their manager and what exactly he is trying to do. Stephen Kelly has written yet another brilliant biography of a LIverpool manager. Remember he was the man who wrote that wonderful, wonderful biog of the great Bill Shankly. Now he's done the same with Gerard. It's not all hagiography but is a considered and thoughtful look at what has happened at LFC over the past four years. There are lots of revealing stories and some of the many mysteries - such as why Robbie and Sander went are explained. Also the reason why we never signed Bowyer. But don't let me tell you. Just buy it, get the towel out and lie by the pool this summer and read it. It has to be your number one summer read. Five stars