Houllier's words of wisdom

Last updated : 25 May 2004 By Kevin Smith
His turning the corner comments are now legendary, but he has given us a full collection of quotes that have amused and baffled us over the last six years.

Here's just some of the words uttered by the former Liverpool manager...

"Our job is to make the fans happy. When we win, 45,000 people go home happy. When we lose, it not only affects them, it affects their cats."

"To most Liverpool supporters it won't matter if 11 Martians bring the championship back to Anfield, as long as it comes.''

"I notice a former captain of ours said recently that this squad is so good that we don't need a manager. I took this as a great compliment. He must have changed his mind since leaving as he said at the time that Phil Thompson and I would drag the club down. On that point I suppose he was right - we dragged the club down to Cardiff three times in the last 10 months."

"We scored 127 goals - the third highest total in the club's history. Although, if you believe everything you read in the papers, 126 probably came from a breakaway from the edge of our penalty area. The other one was probably an own goal."

"Sometimes football can send you from the attic to the basement without the aid of a lift."

"I don't live in the past. I live in the present and I look to the future. But I take lessons from the past."

"The problem is that the players think they can drink. Drinking alcohol is as silly as putting diesel in a racing car."

"The players' country is Liverpool Football Club and their language is football."

"If you make mistakes against United you pay cash"

"When I see the Bill Shankly statue, I look at the sentiment on the base. It says: 'He made the people happy.' Well now the modern Liverpool is making the fans and the city happy. And that makes me so proud."

"When you spit in the air it can sometimes land in your face."

"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary."

"I came to this club with double vision. I want this club to be the best in this country and I want this club to be the best in Europe."