Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has been confirmed as the new manager of Aston Villa.
The 63-year old Frenchman stepped down from his role as a technical director with the French Football Federation (FFF) and will be in the dugout for Villa’s clash with Stoke at the Britannia Stadium on Monday night.
Houllier had been the leading contender for the role since former manager Martin O’Neill departed last month and his appointment was confirmed by the club on Wednesday night.
“Two of the key qualities which we identified as being of crucial importance in our search for the new manager were experience of managing in the Premier League and a strategy for building on the existing strengths in our current squad, and Gerard Houllier comfortably satisfies these criteria,” said Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Aston Villa Football Club in a statement on the club’s official website.
“In fact, he stands out as a football man who understands the ethos of our Club and shares our core values.
“We look forward to working with Gerard and supporting him and we ask our supporters to get behind the new manager and the team as we look to build on the progress we have made over the past four years in all areas of the Club,” he added.
Houllier said that although it was difficult to leave his post with the FFF, the challenge of managing Aston Villa was one he was very much looking forward to.
“I am very happy and proud to join this great and historic club,†he said.
“It was a very difficult decision for me to leave the FFF [French Football Federation]Â but I could not turn down the opportunity to manage a club whose approach, both on and off the pitch, I have long admired.
“Aston Villa is one of England’s biggest clubs and has an amazing set of fans. This is a tremendous challenge and one I am very much looking forward to taking on.”
