Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel has paid a lovely tribute to Gerard Houllier, following the Frenchman’s death on Sunday.
Houllier passed away at the age of 73 over the weekend, with those of a Reds persuasion, and beyond, sending endless messages this week.
The ex-Liverpool boss famously won a cup treble back in 2000/01, as well as taking the Reds into the Champions League for the first time that season, and winning the League Cup in 2003.
Someone who was a key man under Houllier was Babbel, and in an interview with Sport 1 [via Sport Witness], he spoke beautifully about his former manager:
(It was) a dream came true for me at the Reds.
And the conversations with Gerard were one of the reasons why I did it too. He made me feel that he really wanted me.
He built something big in Liverpool. Without him, Liverpool would not be the club it is today if Gerard hadn’t pushed it back then.
I am very grateful to him for bringing me back then.
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It is the latest in a long list of touching tributes to Houllier, who was clearly such a popular figure at Liverpool.
Not only was he a top manager, but he was also a friend to his players, getting the best out of them.
Babbel has become a forgotten man in some ways, but he was bordering on world-class at right-back during 2000/01, making a staggering 60 appearances in all competitions.
