GERARD HOULLIER is set to sit out the rest of the season following another heart scare.

 

The Aston Villa boss, 63, was last night in hospital awaiting test results after being admitted with chest pains.

 

The Frenchman has a history of heart problems. No 2 Gary McAllister will take over first-team duties until further notice, assisted by coach Gordon Cowans.

 

Houllier was not sent straight to surgery, as was the case 10 years ago when he was taken ill at half-time in Liverpool's game against Leeds.
On that occasion he needed 11 hours of open-heart surgery.

 

But this time he did not suffer a heart attack and was last night well enough to talk tactics with McAllister for tomorrow's home game against Stoke.

 

He was laughing and in good spirits but is expected to remain in the unit for several days.

 

Villa will not rush the manager back to work with only five games left this season and will give him as much time as he needs to recover.

 

And it is likely Houllier will be the one to decide whether or not he is fit to resume control of a Premier League club.

 

After his 2001 scare, he did not return for five months.

 

This season has been a tough one for Houllier, who took over from Martin O'Neill in September.

 

He has had to deal with dressing-room unrest and an injury crisis as well as calls from fans for him to leave.

 

But results have improved in recent weeks, with seven points from nine taking Villa away from the relegation zone.

 

 

 

Taken from The Sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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