20110330

Houllier: Positive
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Under-fire Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier insists he is staying positive ahead of their battle against the drop.
The Villa Park outfit find themselves entrenched in a relegation battle with just eight Premier League matches in which to retain their top-flight status.
Despite the huge outlay on England international Darren Bent’s services from Sunderland in January, results have been distinctly average and their home defeat to Wolves saw many fans vent their anger towards Houllier.
Houllier is happy with the experience at his fingertips and believe his players will be giving their all for the club and fans between now and the summer to avoid the drop.
The former Liverpool tactician insists he understands the fans’ frustrations at results to date and he has called on their support to back Villa’s attempts to stay up.
Positive
“We know exactly where we stand and the difficulty of our task,” explained Houllier.
“You have to remain positive. You can’t spend your time reflecting on what happened.
“We have eight games ahead of us now and never mind what has happened in the past.
“This is our league and the eight games ahead are vital for our future. Everybody is concerned because we are not dreamers.
“There is a new league starting up for us of eight games and the mood is positive.
“A lot of players are internationals so they have that experience and they know what pressure is.
“I also know their personalities and they want to do well for the fans and the club.”
Frustration
Houllier added: “I can really share the fans’ frustration and anxiety.
“But their influence is so important for us, especially at this stage of the season.
“They are fantastic supporters and, with their support, they can be the 12th man every game.”
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Houllier staying positive
