Gérard Houllier
Encyclopedia
Gérard Houllier, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

 (ʒeʁaʁ ulje; born 3 September 1947, in Thérouanne
Thérouanne
Thérouanne is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Thérouanne is located 10 miles southwest of Saint-Omer, on the D157 and D341 road junction.-Population:-History:...

, Pas-de-Calais, France), is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season.

His past clubs include Paris Saint-Germain, RC Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...

 and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

, with whom he won the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 in 2001. He then guided Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...

 to two French titles, before announcing his resignation on 25 May 2007. He also coached the French national team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...

 between 1992 and 1993.

He assisted Aimé Jacquet
Aimé Jacquet
Aimé Étienne Jacquet is a French football coach and former player, and manager of the France national football team when they won the 1998 FIFA World Cup.-Biography:...

 in the 1998 World Cup, was part of UEFA's and FIFA's Technical Committee in the 2002
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...

 and 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...

 finals, and Technical Director for the French Football Federation during the 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...

 finals.

Playing career

Houllier entered Lille University to pursue a degree in English, but in the first year his father's serious illness forced him to drop out of full-time study and start work, eventually as a school teacher, while he completed his degree part-time. As part of his degree, he elected to spend a year in 1969–1970 in Liverpool as an Assistant at Alsop Comprehensive School, and while there he attended his first Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

 match on 16 September 1969 – a 10–4 thrashing of the Irish team, Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...

. He also played for an amateur local side, Alsop.

He was a natural football player though at the time French football was a mixture of amateur and professional players. He was deputy headmaster of the École Normale d'Arras until at the age of 26 in 1973 he began his full-time managerial career as player-manager of Le Touquet.

France

Houllier later moved to Arras as youth coach, and Nœux-les-Mines
Nœux-les-Mines
Nœux-les-Mines is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Nœux-les-Mines is situated some south of Béthune and southwest of Lille, at the junction of the D937 and D65 roads...

 as head coach where he won two consecutive promotions into the second division before moving to Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...

 in 1982. He took Lens to promotion and qualification for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 1985, and PSG won the French title the following year.

In 1988, Houllier was appointed technical director and assistant to the French national team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...

, under manager Michel Platini
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...

. He became manager in 1992, but resigned in 1993 after France failed to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...

. Houllier blamed the failure on winger David Ginola
David Ginola
David Karl Ginola is a French former international football player who has also worked as an actor and model.Ginola was born in Gassin, Var...

's failure to complete a pass to Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...

 to score. Ginola subsequently threatened legal action for Houllier's comments. He remained with the team as a technical director, however. In 1998 France won the World Cup, and Houllier was recognized for contributions to the game.

He was the technical director for the French football federation during France's South African World Cup fiasco – criticising coach Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech is a retired French footballer and the former manager of the France national team.-2006 World Cup:On 12 July 2004, Domenech was a surprise choice to succeed Jacques Santini after the country's disappointing exit from UEFA Euro 2004 by losing in the quarter-final match to the...

 for his isolated method of management. Houllier did not call for Escalette to resign, actually stating the head of the Federation should remain.

Liverpool

In July 1998, Houllier was invited to become joint team manager of Liverpool Football Club
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

, together with Roy Evans
Roy Evans
Roy Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:...

. The arrangement did not work out and Roy Evans resigned in November after losing to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

 3–1 at home in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

. Prior to that defeat Liverpool were knocked out of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 by Spanish side Celta Vigo
Celta de Vigo
Real Club Celta de Vigo , simply referred to as Celta Vigo, is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in the Segunda División. It was founded on March 28, 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Foot-ball Club.Nicknamed Los Celestes ,...

. The departure of Evans left Houllier in sole charge of the team.

Houllier began what he described as a five-year program to rebuild the team, starting in 1999. That summer, Paul Ince
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...

, David James
David James (footballer)
David Benjamin James is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bristol City.On 14 February 2009, he achieved the all-time Premier League appearance record with 536 appearances, overtaking Gary Speed. He held this record until being overtaken by Ryan Giggs on the 14th May 2011...

, Jason McAteer
Jason McAteer
Jason Wynne McAteer is a retired Irish footballer, who represented the Republic of Ireland at international level. He announced his retirement from professional football on 12 June 2007,...

, Rob Jones, Tony Warner
Tony Warner
Anthony Randolph "Tony" Warner is a Trinidad and Tobago international football goalkeeper who currently plays for the Wellington Phoenix.-Footballing career:...

 and Steve Harkness
Steve Harkness
Steven "Steve" Harkness is a former footballer who played for several clubs, most notably Liverpool.-Playing career:...

 were all sold, while Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...

 left on a free. At the same time eight new players, Sami Hyypiä
Sami Hyypiä
Sami Tuomas Hyypiä is a retired European Cup winning Finnish footballer who played in the centre back position. He last played for German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen and was the captain of the Finland national football team. He joined Leverkusen in summer 2009, ending a ten year spell at...

, Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar "Didi" Hamann is a German footballer who was most recently manager at Stockport County. Throughout his career, he has played for Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Manchester City primarily in a defensive midfield position. He also spent time at Milton Keynes Dons as a...

, Stéphane Henchoz
Stéphane Henchoz
Stéphane Henchoz is a former Swiss international footballer who last played for Blackburn Rovers as a defender. He has been capped 72 times and played for his country at Euro 1996 and Euro 2004.- Early career :...

, Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer is a former Czech football midfielder and forward player. Šmicer was a devout player of Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. He also played notably for Lens in France, with whom he won the Ligue 1 title. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England, where he played several...

, Sander Westerveld
Sander Westerveld
Sander Westerveld is a Dutch professional football goalkeeper. He left Sparta Rotterdam at the end of the 2007–08 Eredivisie season to play for Monza, and is currently playing for South African Premier Soccer League club Ajax Cape Town....

, Titi Camara
Titi Camara
Aboubacar Sidiki Camara, more commonly known as Titi Camara , is the Sports Minister of Guinea. He is a former football player who was also the coach of the Syli National , the Guinean national team, which he captained and played for.-Club career:Camara was once a highly-touted prospect, spending...

, Eric Meijer
Erik Meijer (footballer)
Erik Meijer is a retired Dutch footballer. Standing at 189 cm, he was known as a header specialist...

 and Djimi Traoré
Djimi Traoré
Djimi Traoré is a French-born Malian footballer who currently as either a left back or centre back. He plays for French Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille...

 were all signed. Also, Liverpool's training facilities at Melwood
Melwood
Melwood, in West Derby, Liverpool, is home to Liverpool FC's training ground. It is not attached to The Academy, which is in Kirkby.It is based in the West Derby area of Liverpool and has been their home since the fifties. The ground previously belonged to St Francis Xavier, a local school...

 were thoroughly overhauled.

The rebuilding continued in 2000, with the signings of Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel is a former international German football player, who is currently manager of German Bundesliga club Hertha BSC. He played as a defender for clubs in Germany and England.-Career:...

, Nicky Barmby, Pegguy Arphexad
Pegguy Arphexad
Pegguy Arphexad is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. An excellent shot stopper, he gained a reputation as a spot kick saving expert.-Club career:...

, Grégory Vignal
Gregory Vignal
Grégory Vignal is a French footballer. A left full back or midfielder, he is currently a free agent, having played most recently for Premier League club Birmingham City....

, Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...

, Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20...

, Igor Bišćan
Igor Bišcan
Igor Bišćan is a Croatian professional footballer, playing for Dinamo Zagreb. He also played for the English team Liverpool and Greek side Panathinaikos, also spending one-year loan at NK Samobor in his early career...

 and Christian Ziege
Christian Ziege
Christian Ziege is a former German football defender and midfielder. With the German national team, Ziege won Euro 96. An attacking left wingback, Ziege was considered a dead-ball specialist.-Club career:...

, as well as the departures of David Thompson
David Thompson (footballer)
David Anthony Thompson is a former English football player who played as a midfielder.During his career Thompson played for Liverpool, Coventry City, Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers...

, Phil Babb
Phil Babb
Philip 'Phil' Andrew Babb is an English-born Irish former footballer who played as a central defender.Active in England and Portugal, he made over 300 professional career appearances, namely spending six Premier League seasons with Liverpool...

, Dominic Matteo
Dominic Matteo
Dominic Matteo is a former Scottish footballer and a Scottish national football team international. He has played most recently as a defender for Stoke City, but spent most of his career at Liverpool and Leeds United.-Club career:...

, Steve Staunton
Steve Staunton
Stephen "Steve" Staunton is an Irish association football manager and former professional footballer, who was most recently manager of Darlington...

, Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel
Bradley Howard Friedel is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League....

 and Stig Inge Bjørnebye
Stig Inge Bjørnebye
Stig Inge Bjørnebye is a retired Norwegian footballer who played in Norway, England, and Denmark, most notably for Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers. His preferred position was left back, which he occupied for domestic clubs and the national team...



The efforts yielded a result in the successful 2000–01
2000-01 in English football
The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...

 season, when Liverpool won a cup treble of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

, the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 and the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 and finished third in the Premier League. Liverpool went on to win the FA Community Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...

 against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

 and UEFA Super Cup against Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....

.

In October 2001, after falling ill at half time in the Liverpool's Premier League match with Leeds United, Houllier was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation due to the discovery of a heart condition. With the help of caretaker manager Phil Thompson
Phil Thompson
Philip Bernard Thompson is a retired English footballer, who played as a defender for Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions...

 he guided Liverpool to the second-place finish in the league, their best record in the Premiership. Houllier returned to active management of the club after five months. An example of his fallibility came when Houllier substituted the defensive midfielder Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar "Didi" Hamann is a German footballer who was most recently manager at Stockport County. Throughout his career, he has played for Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Manchester City primarily in a defensive midfield position. He also spent time at Milton Keynes Dons as a...

 with winger Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer is a former Czech football midfielder and forward player. Šmicer was a devout player of Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. He also played notably for Lens in France, with whom he won the Ligue 1 title. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England, where he played several...

 in an away match against Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...

 in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final. The scoreline was 1–1 with Bayer needing two goals to win. With a gap in the defence, however, Liverpool was exposed to endless attacks, and Liverpool failed to advance to the semi-final.

In the 2002–2003 Liverpool finished in the fifth place in the Premiership, failing to qualify for the Champions League next season. Critics blamed Houllier's unsuccessful summer signings in 2002, namely El Hadji Diouf
El Hadji Diouf
El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for Doncaster Rovers. He can play on both wings as well as in attack. He has also garnered a large amount of notoriety for a series of controversial incidents.-Early career:Diouf started his career in France with...

 (Lens, £10 million), Salif Diao
Salif Diao
Salif Alassane Diao is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Stoke City....

 (Sedan, £5 million) and Bruno Cheyrou
Bruno Cheyrou
Boludo Cheyrou is a professional French footballer, who currently plays for FC Nantes.-Career:...

 (Lille, £4 million), and his failure to make Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...

's loan move permanent in favour of signing the ineffective Diouf. Houllier's failure to replace creative talents such as Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20...

 and Jari Litmanen
Jari Litmanen
Jari Olavi Litmanen is a Finnish footballer, currently playing for HJK. He is the current vice-captain of Finland national football team, where he served as a first choice captain between 1996–2008...

 was also criticized.

A lack of success in the following seasons when Liverpool struggled to qualify for the Champions League despite substantial investment in players, with what was perceived as negative one-dimensional tactics and unattractive football, a poor youth policy, his constant mention of "turning corners" and a lack of support from fans led to Houllier's departure from Liverpool on 24 May 2004. During a press conference leading up to his departure Houllier said, 'If they want to go back to the '70s & '80s they can do that but not with me' shortly after Houllier left the press conference. He left by mutual consent with the club and was swiftly replaced by Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

 coach Rafael Benítez
Rafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....

.

Youth policy

Much of Houllier's youth policy was based on bringing in what he regarded as the best that France had to offer. Since he was head of technical development at the French football association, before he joined Liverpool, he was familiar with young football talents in France.

Houllier's last purchase was Djibril Cissé
Djibril Cissé
Djibril Aruun Cissé is a French international footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Lazio as a striker. He is noted particularly for his speed and acceleration. Since 2005, he has held the title of Lord of the Manor of Frodsham....

, who arrived, after Houllier departed, for £14 million. He was out for most of the first season with a broken leg. In the 2005–06 season, however, Cissé became the second highest goalscorer at Liverpool with 19 in all competitions, 6 in Champions League qualifiers, 2 in the European Super Cup
European Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...

, and 9 in the Premiership, and scored Liverpool's first goal in their FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 victory in May 2006. After an alleged bust-up with manager Rafael Benítez, Cissé was loaned to Olympique Marseille for the 2006–07 season. On 30 August 2006, Florent Sinama-Pongolle
Florent Sinama-Pongolle
Florent Stéphane Sinama Pongolle is a French footballer who plays for AS Saint-Étienne on loan from Sporting Clube de Portugal....

 left Liverpool for a season loan with Recreativo de Huelva
Recreativo de Huelva
Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 23 December 1889, it is the oldest football team in Spain, and currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estadio Nuevo Colombino, which has a...

, the last of the French players signed by Houllier to leave Merseyside.

Olympique Lyonnais

On 29 May 2005, it was announced that Houllier had signed a two-year contract as manager of the champions of Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

, succeeding Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...

. Lyon had just won their previous fourth successive championship and Houllier was hired to convert this domestic dominance to the European stage. Despite continuing this dominance of the Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

, Lyon lost to AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the 2005–06 competition while they crashed out to the inexperienced Roma in the first knockout round of the 2006–07 season . Houllier also suffered a cup final defeat (Coupe de la Ligue
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...

) to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...

. In April 2007 however, Houllier won his 2nd successive (Lyon's sixth consecutive) Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

 title after Toulouse's
Toulouse FC
Toulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...

 loss to Rennes
Stade Rennais FC
Stade Rennais Football Club is a French association football club based in Rennes. The club was founded in 1901 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Rennes plays its home matches at the Stade de la Route de Lorient located within the city...

.

The 2006/07 season proved to be his last with the club. On 25 May 2007, Houllier stepped down as boss of Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...

, due to a fractious relationship with outspoken chairman Jean-Michel Aulas
Jean-Michel Aulas
Jean-Michel Aulas is a French businessman. He is the founder and CEO of CEGID and serves as the owner and chairman of French football club Olympique Lyonnais whom he has owned since 1987. Aulas has also expanded his branch of football knowledge through Europe...

, who was frustrated at the club's inability to convert domestic dominance into European success. An official statement on Lyon's website stated that Houllier asked to be released from the last season of his contract and that request was granted by the president. Houllier also said that he needed a break after experiencing two seasons with Lyon.

Aston Villa

On 8 September 2010, it was announced that English club Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

 had appointed Houllier as their new full-time manager, following the resignation of previous boss Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...

 the month before.

In his first press conference at the club it was revealed that he hadn't signed a contract yet and wouldn't be able to take charge until a later date, because of commitments with the French FA
French Football Federation
The French Football Federation is the governing body of association football in France, as well as the overseas departments and territories . It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris...

.

On 15 September, it was revealed that Houllier's first match in charge would be the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

 match against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....

 on 22 September. Villa won the match 3–1, coming back from a goal down to progress to the next round of the competition.
It was announced on 18 September 2010 that Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20...

 had agreed to become his assistant manager, with Gordon Cowans
Gordon Cowans
Gordon Sidney Cowans is an English retired football player and coach.Cowans started his career at Aston Villa as an apprentice in 1974, and signed as a professional in 1976...

 also taking a role in Houllier's backroom staff.. Two days after the Blackburn match of 22 September he signed a 3 year contract. However, Houllier's start at the club proved to be a difficult one. The side was hit with a number of injuries to key players such as Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Imuetinyan "Gabby" Agbonlahor is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Aston Villa. Agbonlahor is a product of Aston Villa's Academy and has earned three caps for the English national team. He is currently the longest-serving player at Villa Park, joining as a youth player in...

, Stiliyan Petrov
Stiliyan Petrov
Stiliyan Alyoshev Petrov is a Bulgarian footballer who captains Aston Villa in the Premier League and the Bulgarian national team. He won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year award in 2003 when he was playing for Celtic...

, Nigel Reo-Coker
Nigel Reo-Coker
Nigel Shola Andre Reo-Coker is an English footballer of Sierra Leonean descent. He currently plays for Bolton Wanderers of the Premier League. He is known for being a robust midfielder with good overall tackling and passing qualities...

 and Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...

, and managed just one win in ten Premier League games. In November 2010, Houllier signed 37-year-old former Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...

 midfielder Robert Pirès
Robert Pirès
Robert Emmanuel Pirès is a former French international footballer. He is perhaps best known for his time with Arsenal, with whom he won three FA Cups and two FA Premier League titles including the club's famous unbeaten season of 2003–04...

 on a free transfer in an attempt to aid the club during its injury crisis.

By January 2011, Villa had picked up just 21 points from 20 Premier League games. They had also been knocked out of the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

 the previous month by local rivals Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...

. On 5 January, Villa were beaten 1–0 at home by Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...

. This loss left Villa in 18th position in the league table, the first time they had been in the relegation zone since 2002. During the match, a selection of the home crowd targeted Houllier with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" to vent their frustration at the club's poor run of form. Despite this, Villa directors acted quickly to insist that Houllier's job as manager was safe.

In the January transfer Window, Houllier signed Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker
Kyle Andrew Walker is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Tottenham Hotspur and England.-Early life:Walker was born in Sheffield and grew up in the Sharrow district of the city...

 on loan from Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

 in a bid to improve Villa's struggling defence. This signing was followed by the arrival of Jean Makoun
Jean Makoun
Jean II Makoun is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for Greek Superleague club Olympiacos on loan from Aston Villa. He also plays in the Cameroon national football team.-Early career:...

 from Houllier's former club Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...

, before Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...

's Darren Bent
Darren Bent
Darren Ashley Bent is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Bent started his career with Ipswich Town. After progressing through their youth system he made his first team debut in 2001. He made 122 appearances and scored 48 goals in the league for Ipswich, before joining...

 was brought to Villa Park in a deal that broke the club's previous transfer record. Villa's January transfer window was rounded off with the loan signing of American international midfielder Michael Bradley
Michael Bradley (soccer)
Michael Bradley is an American soccer player who currently plays as a central midfielder for Chievo Verona in Serie A and the United States national team, which was formerly coached by his father Bob Bradley.-Early life:...

 from Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...

.

In February 2011, Houllier criticised the commitment of Villa defenders Habib Beye
Habib Beye
Habib Beye is a French born Senegalese footballer who plays for Doncaster Rovers on loan from Aston Villa and for the Senegal national team...

 and Stephen Warnock
Stephen Warnock
Stephen Warnock is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a left-back.He has been capped by England twice and was part of the nation's squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup...

. The pair were forced to train with the club's reserve side
Aston Villa F.C. Reserves and Academy
Aston Villa Reserves are the reserve team of Aston Villa, they have been part of the FA Premier Reserve League since its foundation in 1999 and are current holders of the Premier Reserve League South title. The team plays its home games at Villa Park - during the months of Autumn and Spring - and...

 and were not selected by the Frenchman, even when the club faced even more injury concerns.

After the defeat to Sunderland, Villa underwent a revival, winning five and drawing three of their next nine games, including beating Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...

 1-0 in a run which saw the team climb to twelfth.

However, Villa were knocked out of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 by Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...

 via a 3–0 away loss in early March. Houllier chose to rest a number of key first-team players, a move that was criticised by fans and the media alike. The club's league form also failed to improve. During a team-bonding exercise at a health spa in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...

, Villa defenders James Collins and Richard Dunne
Richard Dunne
Richard Patrick Dunne is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national football team. With Ireland he was a member of the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad and helped his team qualify for UEFA Euro 2012.Dunne began his professional career at Everton...

 were involved in a confrontation with club staff. The players were each fined two weeks' wages; Houllier, however, claimed that the incident had not affected team morale.

On 19 March, Villa faced local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...

 in the Premier League at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...

. Prior to the game, a banner reading "Had enough, Houllier out" was unveiled by some supporters in the stadium's Holte End stand. However, this was quickly removed by the club's stewarding staff. The away side won 1–0 thanks to a goal from Matt Jarvis, claiming their first win against Aston Villa in 31 years. Towards the end of game the home fans once again verbally attacked Houllier with chants of "we want Houllier out" and "you don't know what you're doing", before giving a chorus of boos at the final whistle.

On 20 April, Houllier was admitted to hospital after falling ill in the night. His condition was said to be stable, but he was not able to be at Aston Villa's training session the following day, and was not able to attend their match against Stoke City on 23 April, or any subsequent matches of the 2010-2011 season. Gary McAllister took charge of all first team affairs in his stead.

On 1 June, Gerard Houllier stepped down as manager of Aston Villa by mutual consent.

Managerial stats

Team Nat From To Record
PWDLW%
Paris Saint-Germain  Early Modern France 1985 1988
France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...

 Early Modern France 26 August 1992 17 November 1993
Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

 Kingdom of England 16 July 1998 24 May 2004
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...

 Early Modern France 29 May 2005 25 May 2007
Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

 Kingdom of England 8 September 2010 1 June 2011
Total

Awards

Houllier has been awarded the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...

 for his services to French football, and an honorary OBE
British honours system
The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...

 for services to British football, along with fellow manager, compatriot and friend Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...

.

Managerial

 France Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...

  • Ligue 1
    Ligue 1
    Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

    : 2005–06, 2006–07
  • Trophée des champions
    Trophée des champions
    The Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries...

    : 2005, 2006


 England Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

  • UEFA Cup: 2001
  • UEFA Super Cup: 2001
    2001 UEFA Super Cup
    The 2001 UEFA Super Cup was a football match between German team Bayern Munich and English team Liverpool on 24 August 2001 at Stade Louis II, the annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Bayern were appearing in the Super Cup for the third...

  • FA Cup
    FA Cup
    The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

    : 2001
  • Football League Cup
    Football League Cup
    The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

    : 2001, 2003
  • FA Community Shield
    FA Community Shield
    The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...

    : 2001
    2001 FA Charity Shield
    The 2001 FA Charity Shield was the 79th FA Charity Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 12 August 2001 between 2000–01 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2000–01 FA Cup winners...



 France France U18
France national under-18 football team
The France national under-18 football team is the national under-18 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team serves as a feeder team to the under-19 team as its matches aren't competitive...

  • 1996 UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship


 France PSG
  • Ligue 1
    Ligue 1
    Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

    : 1985–86

External links

Profile, stats and pictures of Gerard Houllier
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