The Liverpool Way - Tapa blanda

In the wake of the 2002 World Cup finals and still recovering from a life-threatening illness, Gerard Houllier tried to build on the affection he drew from Liverpool fans by winning three major trophies in his first full season in charge. Houllier seemed destined to bring title success back to Anfield in season 2002-03 after another bout of pre-season spending which brought to the club the exciting Senegalese World Cup stars, Diouf and Diao, and an early unbeaten run of form. But doubts soon started to take over as Liverpool's performances at home and in Europe began to crumble. It wasn't long before fans began to question the manager's philosophy and style. Was Houllier a great tactician or a nervous puppet-master? Was his direct way of playing really "the Liverpool way", mapping a connection right back to Tom Watson's time at the club in the early part of the 20th century? "The Liverpool Way" assesses Houllier's Liverpool and also examines the general state of English football at present. It covers aspects of the history of the club, its fans and its players, and takes a wider look at how the football world has changed for players, managers and referees in recent years. Drawing on exclusive interview material, travel with the Reds and discussions with fans and other football experts, "The Liverpool Way" charts Houllier's attempt to lead his increasingly global roster of expensive stars to the highest levels of the European game. It is a story of some ecstasy and plenty of pain - and ends by posing serious questions about the future trajectory of European football and the likely role of Houllier and Liverpool FC in the new "global" era of football.

John Williams has written widely on football culture, its fans and the transformation of English football. His previous publications include INTO THE RED, PASSING RHYTHMS, HOOLIGANS ABROAD, THE ROOTS OF FOOTBALL HOOLIGANISM, GAME WITHOUT FRONTIERS and IS IT ALL OVER? A regular contributor to the LECIESTER MERCURY and to various national newspapers, he is also the director of the Sir Norman Chester Centre for Football Research and a lecturer at the University of Leicester.