Paisley
Sep 1 2002, 07:33 PM
By James Carroll
Gerard Houllier says that he returned to football too quickly following his eleven hour heart operation last October. The Liverpool boss made an emotional return against AS Roma in March on a truly fantastic evening in the Champions League at Anfield.
But in hindsight, Houllier says that it was perhaps a mistake and that at the tail end of last season, he suffered from severe tiredness.
He told the Daily Mail: "In hindsight it was a mistake for my health. I probably came back two or three weeks too early because at the end of last season, phew, I really paid for it."
"I tell you, it was difficult. I didn't show it to my players. If you struggle they can feel that. But I was tired, I was struggling. I didn't have any strength. "I was doing too much at the time, wasn't looking after myself the way I should have been."
"I remember Aime Jacquet in 1996, when he was in charge of the French national team. He was exhausted and, after guiding France to the semi-finals of the European Championships, he said he would never do that again. He said he would find a different way to manage."
"I was feeling tired at the start of last season. I had been to the Confederations Cup, we had a busy start to the campaign - the Charity Shield, the Champions League."
"I have learned a few lessons and my perspective on life has most certainly changed. I'm more focused on what is really important."
"My relationship with people is different. I think I give them more. Maybe I'm more accessible and approachable. Maybe I am more open to people. It does change things."
"We all want to be happy, but I try to explain to the players who aren't always playing that sometimes it is better to contribute to success than simply be somewhere else."
"I'm not any more demanding of them, but I am trying harder to persuade them to be themselves. I want them to express themselves, enjoy the moment, seize the day."
"I want them to push their own personal boundaries. That is when life gets interesting. I should know that. Life is only worth experiencing if you are prepared to go beyond the edge."
"I will definitely force myself to have breaks. But I am excited about the new season. We have constructed a team. We have laid the foundations for the future. We also have a happy combination of British and foreign players, because I believe in that."
"I believe in having a British core to the team. Continental players can sometimes be too moody. In France we say etat d'ame - a frame of mind is not necessarily good."
"Over the last three years we are probably the club that has made the most progress. We were second in the league last season with enough points to win the title in previous ears."
"There are certain qualities you need to win the title. I believe we have. We are different to Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds. We have our own assets. That is why we have a chance. We are mentally strong. You can't plan success, you can only prepare for it."
"Anyone who has a heart operation feels a little depressed afterwards. Football helped me to stay out of that depression zone. "The pressure of the job is not the problem. There is pressure, of course."
"This wonderful girl came to visit us from Spain. She wanted to see the players. She had cancer. That, to me, is pressure."
"The health of your family is important. It is pressure when you have a problem there, not when you have a game, not when you enjoy football as much as I do."
Gerard Houllier says that he returned to football too quickly following his eleven hour heart operation last October. The Liverpool boss made an emotional return against AS Roma in March on a truly fantastic evening in the Champions League at Anfield.
But in hindsight, Houllier says that it was perhaps a mistake and that at the tail end of last season, he suffered from severe tiredness.
He told the Daily Mail: "In hindsight it was a mistake for my health. I probably came back two or three weeks too early because at the end of last season, phew, I really paid for it."
"I tell you, it was difficult. I didn't show it to my players. If you struggle they can feel that. But I was tired, I was struggling. I didn't have any strength. "I was doing too much at the time, wasn't looking after myself the way I should have been."
"I remember Aime Jacquet in 1996, when he was in charge of the French national team. He was exhausted and, after guiding France to the semi-finals of the European Championships, he said he would never do that again. He said he would find a different way to manage."
"I was feeling tired at the start of last season. I had been to the Confederations Cup, we had a busy start to the campaign - the Charity Shield, the Champions League."
"I have learned a few lessons and my perspective on life has most certainly changed. I'm more focused on what is really important."
"My relationship with people is different. I think I give them more. Maybe I'm more accessible and approachable. Maybe I am more open to people. It does change things."
"We all want to be happy, but I try to explain to the players who aren't always playing that sometimes it is better to contribute to success than simply be somewhere else."
"I'm not any more demanding of them, but I am trying harder to persuade them to be themselves. I want them to express themselves, enjoy the moment, seize the day."
"I want them to push their own personal boundaries. That is when life gets interesting. I should know that. Life is only worth experiencing if you are prepared to go beyond the edge."
"I will definitely force myself to have breaks. But I am excited about the new season. We have constructed a team. We have laid the foundations for the future. We also have a happy combination of British and foreign players, because I believe in that."
"I believe in having a British core to the team. Continental players can sometimes be too moody. In France we say etat d'ame - a frame of mind is not necessarily good."
"Over the last three years we are probably the club that has made the most progress. We were second in the league last season with enough points to win the title in previous ears."
"There are certain qualities you need to win the title. I believe we have. We are different to Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds. We have our own assets. That is why we have a chance. We are mentally strong. You can't plan success, you can only prepare for it."
"Anyone who has a heart operation feels a little depressed afterwards. Football helped me to stay out of that depression zone. "The pressure of the job is not the problem. There is pressure, of course."
"This wonderful girl came to visit us from Spain. She wanted to see the players. She had cancer. That, to me, is pressure."
"The health of your family is important. It is pressure when you have a problem there, not when you have a game, not when you enjoy football as much as I do."