Houllier feeling the heat

THE late-night airwaves, with football fans negotiating exasperating traffic jams, are not renowned for the most considered of opinions.

They are invariably inhabited by bigots, drunks parked on the hard shoulder to relieve themselves of frustration amongst other things, loud-mouths and know-it-alls.

But even allowing for the usual Mr Angry of Tunbridge Wells, characters who make a career out of complaining, the vitriol which followed Liverpool's goalless draw against Tottenham was remarkable in its intensity coming, as it did, just 10 days into a new season.

"Spineless," "Pitiful," "Useless," ranted one caller. "Get rid of the manager," squawked another. "Mr Houllier has lost the plot," it continued, while the general theme could be summed up in one phrase: "One of the worst Liverpool teams I've ever seen."

Strangely, the more it went on the more considered it became and the more it was apparent that even the patience of loyal fans, who had supported Gerard Houllier through the trials of last season, was at breaking point. Three games into a new season is too early, of course, to judge anything with any certainty yet two points and one goal and that a fortunate retaken penalty from Michael Owen is not stuff to stir memories of the golden years.

Not when Arsenal and Manchester United have already opened up a seven-point gap and moneybags Chelsea appear to have usurped Liverpool's membership of England's Big Three. It is true, Liverpool have still much for which to be grateful to Houllier. He transformed the club when it appeared to be drowning in the "Spice Boy" culture of McManaman and Fowler. He restored discipline and dignity, the type of which Bill Shankly would have approved.

He slashed and burned the dead wood and spent boldly, backing his judgment on a huge new squad and for a time, with the passionate assistance of Phil Thompson, he appeared to have nurtured a side with the potential to challenge for the championship title.

He won cups, five of them in one calendar year but the overriding feeling is that he has taken Liverpool as far as he can.

HOULLIER is far too stubborn to admit it but too often he has bought badly. Players such as Biscan, Cheyrou, Traore, Smicer and Baros are a notch below top quality.

The Liverpool tactics still rely too much on long balls for Emile Heskey and Owen it is football of hope rather than expectation and Owen's frustrated demeanour already this season says he is growing tired of it.

All the evidence so far suggests Houllier has not learned from last season when the accent was on caution rather than creativity. No team ever won a title utilising such tactics, nor would they deserve to.

Even the jewel of Harry Kewell, the transfer coup of the summer at a knock-down £5m, has so far been used mainly on the right when he is predominantly left-footed.

The result has reduced one of the most talented footballers in British football to resemble the squarest of pegs in the roundest of holes. Yet Houllier's response to unrest is to draw the wagons in a circle and shoot down the critics though admittedly he had an easy target this week when former striker Stan Collymore joined the Liverpool bashers. "I don't tell others how to do their jobs. And should at least be given some credit for knowing how to do mine." He is right. It is ludicrous to call for his head after just three matches. But Houllier has been telling the Anfield faithful it will get better for what seems like forever. For his sake let's hope improvement begins in tomorrow's Merseyside derby at Goodison.

Because, as someone who as a teenager stood regularly on The Kop in the glorious era of Keegan and Toshack, I sensed an increasing ring of truth to the phrase which coloured the airwaves in midweek. "This is one of the worst Liverpool teams I've ever seen."

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WHEN Jermain Defoe requested a transfer within hours of West Ham being relegated last May he was labelled a "Judas."

Since then Paolo di Canio, Frederic Kanoute, Trevor Sinclair and Joe Cole have left Upton Park as the West Ham silver has been ruthlessly sold off. On top of that, manager Glenn Roeder has been sacked after just a sprinkling of Nationwide League games, making a nonsense of the board's support during a summer in which they stood by him through his rehabilitation from brain surgery and subsequent pre-season planning. Defoe, who has remained thus far to supply West Ham's lone goal threat, was never a "Judas" he just recognised that it's wise to get your disloyalty in first.

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SEARING pace has never been Teddy Sheringham's forte. In a straight foot race he would struggle to outstrip most Premiership refs, let alone defenders. But when it comes to speed of footballing brain few players can live with him, even at 37. Four goals in three games for his new club prove that footballing truism: "Form's temporary but class is permanent.'