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29 March 2024

Downing will be a Liverpool hit: Houllier

Stewart Downing is considered the most under-rated player in English football. (FILE)

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By Staff

Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has backed Stewart Downing to prove his worth and succeed at Anfield after making his £20 million move from Aston Villa to Liverpool.

Houllier, who left Villa Park at the end of last season on health grounds, became a huge admirer of the 26-year-old England winger during his spell as manager.

“Stewart will fit in very well at Liverpool,” Houllier told BBC Sport.

“I like him very much as a player and I am certain he will be a very big asset to them.”

The acquisition of the former Middlesbrough player takes the Reds’ spending to more than £100 million since American John W Henry took control in October.

Houllier, who spent six years as manager at Anfield, is convinced that even at £20 million Downing will prove to be an astute signing for Kenny Dalglish’s reshaped Liverpool team.

The Frenchman added: “Stewart is a very modern player. He can attack and defend and was involved in so many goals for Villa last season.

“He is one of the best crossers of a ball in the Premier League with (either his) right or left foot and is very skilful.

“He operates well on either side. I played him on the left but he also likes to play on the right, where he can cut inside and pose problems.

“Stewart is very, very professional. He takes on board everything you tell him and is very intelligent about the game.

“He picks up the details that can be so important. He has played for England but I now think he is ready to go on and confirm and consolidate his career as an international.

“I very much enjoyed working with him at Aston Villa."

Liverpool football supremo Damien Comolli believes they have stolen a march on their Premier League title rivals by landing one of the most under-rated players in English football.
 
Comolli believes Downing could be the secret weapon who fires the club to glory.
 
He is both pleased and puzzled why there wasn’t more competition for a player he believes can provide the missing link for Liverpool.
 
“Maybe his talent is a little bit undervalued in English football, but we know what we are getting – a very, very good,efficient footballer," he told the 'Daily Mirror'.
 
He added: “I know there was interest from other clubs but he wanted to play for Kenny (Dalglish) and Liverpool. We are absolutely delighted – he is a big, big signing for us.
 
“Maybe others have missed it, but we have got a player who will excite the fans with his technical ability, and that is exactly what we needed as team."
 
Given the need for the top Premier League clubs to topload their squads with English players to meet European regulations, the lack of competition Liverpool faced for Downing’s signature was something of a surprise.
 
But the player himself went some way to explaining that, by explaining he spurned any other offers once he knew the Reds were in for him.
 
Chelsea and Arsenal also made enquiries about his services, but Downing said: “It was a long time to wait to come here, and it has been difficult but it’s been worth it.
 
“I am grateful Liverpool stuck with it and pursued it until the end because as a soon as I knew of their interest there was only one place I would ever go.
 
“Now I just want to settle down to trying to win ­ something for the club to repay them for getting me here.”