Exclusive: Houllier on why it took Liverpool so long to win the league

ByPete Sharland

Updated 03/07/2020 at 15:41 GMT

In an exclusive interview with our colleagues at Eurosport France former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier talks about why he believes it took the Reds so long to finally win the league again.

After being confirmed as Premier League champions last week Liverpool won the title for the first time in 30 years, during which time Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City all were crowned champions.

It was a long, infamous drought, finally ended by Jurgen Klopp and his squad.

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Some have pointed to Houllier’s arrival in 1998, initially as co-manager with Roy Evans, as a turning point in the club’s initial fortunes. Something the Frenchman subscribes to but also believes that it was merely the start of a massive chain-reaction.

“In my opinion, it is true that my arrival in 1998 marked such a break, a break with the past that this is already a first point.” Houllier says in the video.

“After Benitez brought something else, Brendan Rogers brought something else, but I mean there is an almost logical process. "

After being a dominant force in the 70s and 80s Liverpool completely faded in the 90s and 00s, remaining a huge name in the game but unable to sustain results on it, particularly domestically.

“There are two explanations [for this],” Houllier says. “The first explanation is that I think the club was behind in terms of football development

“That means that in fact the preparation methods were different . Alex Ferguson understood it, Arsene Wenger of course, it was easier because he was continental, he understood.

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“And I would say that we in Liverpool were late in this area.

“A club is also an economic power that means that it is a product that sells, it is a sponsor, partners, it is names on the jersey etc. And I think Liverpool didn't take the turn like the others. "

Houllier points out that one thing that Liverpool did have going for them during that time is the sheer force of will and doggedness that surrounded the club. Something he believes Klopp has harnessed.

"Liverpool is not a team that revel in a kind of fatalism where we say to ourselves: 'we will never get there'.

On the contrary! The more adversity there is, the more they fight.

“If you want, not only is it felt like an injustice but if they say to themselves: ‘next time, we will be even stronger.’ And it happened with Jurgen yes. Liverpool is: 'Never Give Up', we never give up, we never give up.

"I find that he [Klopp] fits well, he goes well with the club, with the supporters, with the spirit which is at the same time a somewhat caustic humour about himself...

“And Jurgen, a) he is super competent, b) he has a personality that fits well with the city. People like him, he can laugh, he can drink a beer."

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