Houllier unsure when he’ll take charge of Villa

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP)—Gerard Houllier is unsure when he will officially take charge of Aston Villa as he is still waiting for the French Football Federation to release him.
Despite signing a three-year contract to replace Martin O’Neill, France’s nfl jerseys
technical director still has commitments to the FFF.
“They could make me stay for three months but I am negotiating to leave far earlier,” Houllier said Friday. “I have a good relationship with the FFF but I need to go back and sort the final things out.”
The 63-year-old Houllier won’t be in charge for Monday’s Premier League match against Stoke and doubts whether he will be at the helm for Villa’s game the following Saturday against Bolton.
“I hope to be here to watch the Bolton game and will start for the Blackburn game (on Sept. 22 in the League Cup) if all goes well,” Houllier said.
Caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald will remain in charge until then before returning to his role as reserve team coach.
Houllier is returning to England six years after his six-year stint as Liverpool manager ended.
“Everybody knows my passion for English football and the Minnesota Vikings jersey
Premier League, the best in the world, and that has not diminished since my time at Liverpool,” Houllier said. “I had other offers. The offer from Villa came very late but it proved irresistible because it is a club with a fine history and a very good squad. They have a real pedigree and that played a part in my decision.”
Fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, believes that Houllier was missing being in charge of a team.
“When he went to be the technical director of the French Federation, it was to get out into maybe a little bit less of a pressurized job,” Wenger said. “But when you are out of it, you feel you miss it, and you come in again. I believe that is what happened to him more than the feeling that he has an unfinished job.”
Houllier won six trophies with Liverpool, but cautioned that it will take time to produce American-owned Villa’s first title since the 1996 League Cup.
“There is a vision for gradual improvement,” Houllier said. Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
“We won’t achieve things overnight but we want silverware. Everyone wants Champions League football or Europe and we are saying one step at a time.
“The owner (Randy Lerner) has set no targets but in three years if we can get into the top four it will be excellent.”