▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 – 9 9 ▁season , ▁he ▁began ▁turning ▁in ▁mixed ▁performances , ▁with ▁the ▁media ▁acc using ▁him ▁of ▁playing ▁out ▁his ▁final ▁season ▁in ▁a ▁" des ult ory ▁manner ". ▁His ▁form ▁di pped ▁at ▁times , ▁arg u ably ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁inj uries ▁( his ▁first ▁rec urrent ▁Ach illes ▁inj uries ▁for ▁over ▁five ▁years ▁having ▁set ▁in ▁after ▁years ▁of ▁playing ▁constantly , ) ▁being ▁restricted ▁to ▁substitute ▁appearances ▁( as ▁H oul lier ▁wanted ▁to ▁cut ▁the ▁side ' s ▁dependency ▁on ▁his ▁game play ▁and ▁replace ▁him , ) ▁and ▁loss ▁of ▁confidence ▁in ▁certain ▁games ▁where ▁even ▁the ▁home ▁fans ▁turned ▁against ▁him ▁over ▁the ▁contract ▁deb acle , ▁with ▁some ▁lab elling ▁him ▁a ▁" tra itor " ▁and ▁a ▁Jud as ▁figure . ▁ ▁Non eth eless , ▁H oul lier ▁also ▁avoided ▁dro pping ▁Mc Man aman ▁entirely ▁from ▁the ▁squad ▁and ▁gave ▁him ▁the ▁chance ▁to ▁play . ▁H oul lier ▁stated : ▁" Mac ca ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁leave , ▁that ' s ▁why ▁he ▁didn ' t ▁sign ▁the ▁year ▁before . ▁When ▁I ▁arrived ▁it ▁was ▁his ▁final ▁year ▁and ▁I ▁didn ' t ▁want ▁to ▁pun ish ▁him ▁in ▁any ▁way ▁for ▁that , ▁although ▁I ▁might ▁have ▁done ▁with ▁another ▁player . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁my ▁fault ▁Mac ca ▁left . ▁You ▁never ▁want ▁your ▁top ▁players ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁club . ▁He ▁went ▁on