Gérard Houllier’s 40 Liverpool signings ranked and rated – who’s the worst?

Stephane Henchoz // Blackburn Rovers // £3,500,000

A pretty unheralded arrived from Backburn despite being named their Player of the Year, Stephane Henchoz was a steady presence at the back and would have done more had it not been for injury.

Being crocked seems to be a wicked theme running through this article – and perhaps Anfield wasn’t the bed place to be on the treatment table. Harry Kewell’s agent certainly criticised the medical staff, saying they ‘had no idea.’

But when he was fit, Henchoz was a solid partner to Sammi Hyypia as he made 205 appearances over the course of his Liverpool career. Hyypia would often get the plaudits but Henchoz was fine foil for the Finn as the Reds finished second in the league in 2001/2002.

Things started so well for the pair that Houllier said Henchoz could become the ‘new Tony Adams’, and praised his all round ability as a defender.

With his contract running down, the Swiss international joined Celtic in January 2005 after playing just four times that season.

Sander Westerveld // Vitesse // £4,000,000

Dutchman Sander Westerveld was really good, and then all of a sudden he wasn’t and left Liverpool as quickly as he arrived.

Westerveld looked good behind the double act of Hyypia and Henchoz as he helped Houllier to win the treble of cups. He initially offered way more consistency than Brad Friedel or David James could offer.

But then disaster struck during his second campaign. Errors against Chelsea as well as a bad performance in the UEFA Cup final that they won put thoughts in Houllier’s head that he just couldn’t get rid of.

And so, he went out and bought two goalkeepers in Kirkland and Dudek just three games into the 2001/2002 season. As soon as that happened, the writing was on the wall and Westerveld was off.

So for that one season, he was good, then kinda bad but Houllier had seen enough. 6/10 is maybe slightly generous, but I’m sticking with it.

Rating: 6/10