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The official confirmation has just been published, Gerard Houllier’s tenure as manager of Aston Villa is over. Here’s the official statement:
AVFC Official Statement
The Club can confirm that, by mutual consent, Gerard Houllier has stepped down as manager of Aston Villa with immediate effect.The 63-year-old took charge in September 2010 but suffered a dissection of the descending aorta in April 2011.
He was unable to take charge of team affairs for the final five games of the season and doctors have advised that he will require further time to recuperate.
The Club and Gerard have agreed amicably to this resolution and the search has begun for a new manager in order to prepare the team for the coming season.
Paul Faulkner said:
Paul Faulkner
I would like to thank Gerard for his considerable efforts over the past nine months and for the dedication, commitment and work ethic he has demonstrated as Villa manager.We regret the circumstances of Gerard’s departure and, naturally, we wish him well in his continued recovery.
I know I speak for everyone associated with Aston Villa in expressing our hope that Gerard will return to full health as quickly as possible and we wish him all the best for the future.
As a Board we are very conscious of the need to ensure that the Club is prepared fully to meet the demands of the new season and, to that end, we have already embarked upon the process which will lead to the appointment of a new manager.
We will update when appropriate and until such time as we can make an announcement there will be no further comment from the Club on this matter.
And Gerard Houllier clearly didn’t want to go:
Gerard Houllier
I am extremely disappointed that I will not have the opportunity to manage Aston Villa next season.My health has improved considerably since I was taken ill on April 20. I now intend to take the next few months to concentrate on recuperating fully before I may return to football.
I was very much looking forward to the prospect of my first full season as Villa manager and returning for pre-season training to prepare for the campaign ahead, a luxury that I did not have last season.
I have been extremely touched by all of the messages I have received and by the reaction of people throughout the world of football.
I am very grateful to the Villa fans for their genuine concern and encouragement and to the fans of clubs up and down the country for their kind sentiments.
I would especially like to thank my assistant manager, Gary McAllister, my staff, the players and all at Aston Villa for their support and, of course, for their efforts in securing a very positive end to last season.
It has been an honour to manage this great club and I wish everyone connected with Aston Villa every success for the future.
So there you have it, the Houllier era was brief and it’s time to move forward once more.
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13 Comments to “Gerard Houllier “steps down” as Aston Villa manager”
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For someone who leaves by “mutual consent” he seems a sad old bunny! pushed me thinks. (nicely mind)
and with a sizeable payoff.
expensive business this hiring and firing. even if they quit we end up having to pay them!
and if we want to pluck a manager from a club who is contract, we’ll have to pay them for the privilege too.
A good manager would be worth 10 summer signings though! Compared to the inflated prices of players, managers come cheaply.
true, but all of it avoidable had MON done the decent thing and walked at the end of last season instead of signing a new 12 month deal.
Moyes.
Just thought I’d drop a name and see what happens.
Faulkner comment suggests they are well on the way to securing the new man.
Also, good to see GH thanking the fans of clubs up and down the country – wonder who he means?
Sepp Blatter to stand unopposed as Villa manager
My choice has to be Mark Hughs.
Mark Hughes?? I hope that’s tongue in cheek?!
Unfortunately the Special One wasn’t interested, so who is there?
I actually like his style of management and his un-flustered manner.
Reports are circulating this morning however that Ancelotti is streaking up the bookies list, but is he what we need?
All i ask to be honest is a manager that will get me off my feet, not in a slagging him off way!
Oh i don’t know….im not sure what i want!
Hehe. I’d love Ancelotti but I can’t see it happening – I think he would probably be ok at continuing the transition to a continental style that Houllier began (I worry that a new manager will bring try & implement a new style – I’d rather see what Houllier started continued, though probably not to the full extent that he may have hoped for eventually). Unlikely though.
Hughes just hasn’t convinced me at all, and he is just drab! I suppose Hodgson had left Fulham with his highly-scripted way of playing/training, so Hughes was immediately up against that. But I don’t see that he achieved much improvement above expectations at either Fulham or Man City — which would leave us in upper-midtable probably.
I want to see someone who can help us kick on & either continue the transition in playing style (which might require another manager from the continent), or someone who can adapt his preferred style to suit us.
I haven’t seen many leftfield names from proposed this time round – Where are the likes of Bradley, Thomas Tuchel (Mainz), etc? If McClaren/Hughes aren’t good enough and Ancelotti/Moyes are too unlikely, let’s cast the net further afield?
i’ll give you a name slightly out of left field to chew on, chaps: roberto martinez. it might be too early for him, but he’s got a big future ahead of him, trust me.
i’m not on the moyes bandwagon, i’ve a post in mind that explains why, but i’ll need to think about how to craft it. i didn’t expect yesterday’s post to draw such attention from the blue scouse. not my intention at all.
hughes? i’m coming around as it begins to look more likely. i could live with it. maybe he’ll get that good version of ireland playing and bring clint dempsey with him.
as for the other names being thrown around, not convinced any of them would tick an important box for me: the desire to build a legacy.
I can’t remember where, but I saw Frank Rijkaard’s name being bounced around earlier in the year as a potential candidate.
Sounds quite inciting to me, what do you think?
I like the idea of bradley…
Complete unknown to UK prem but very organized and prepared something we have lacked with the previous manager who was known and not so organized etc…
With the squad we have even if we loose a few big names he could build a platform for the future
(Organized, Young and cheaper than some being banded around)