Houllier - released from contract with FFF

[Maradona10]

Encouraging words, Thompson also said it won't be 3monts and that he'll be speaking to KMac on a regular basis!

[CVByrne]

I hope people just heard Thommo on SSN.

Sure did, despite what people said on here I really wanted Thommo as no2 here. I've always liked him and admire the job he did after houllier had the heart attack.

Damn, I missed it. Do you think anybody might have recorded it?

All he did was speak highly of Villa saying it's always been one of the big clubs, it has the set up and great fans to be successful again. Then talked up how much work Houllier will put in to make Villa successful.

Loved the montage of Houlliers career talking up his hoodoo over United. I hope that continues because the celebration I had when we beat United last year will be with me forever.

[Maradona10]

The best bit had to me Merson talking about Kenywn Jones saying he'll be listening to Radio Luxembourg, cheers Magic man you've just done his teamtalk lol!

[Ikantcpell]

I hope people just heard Thommo on SSN.

Link ??

[Cracker1234]

Do you even know what was questions were asked by the French press for him to talk about Liverpool? I'll answer that one for you...You don't.

Actually we do. No question was asked, it was part of the Houllier pre-amble, before any questions were asked. Its also perfectly well documented on the video on the BBC website on the link I used a few posts ago.

I was talking about what was posted in the French newspaper days before the press conference...I'm not sure if both are the same thing.

[Maradona10]

French Federation don't know how long they need him for, it's on Sky Sports!

[Risso]

French Federation don't know how long they need him for, it's on Sky Sports!

Dear god, this just gets better and better.

Maybe we should have kept hold of Milner for a while and told Man City that they could have him when he'd finished tying up a few loose ends....in 2012.

[Super-Villan]

don't know how long they need him for=more cash please

[dudevillaisnice]

Incoming Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier may not be immediately freed from his contract with the French Football Federation (FFF).

The former Liverpool boss was unveiled as Villa's new manager on Friday afternoon but is not expected to be in the dugout until the Carling Cup clash with Blackburn on 22nd September.

Houllier, 63, currently has a contract with the FFF and is trying to negotiate an end to his deal, having signed on for three years at Villa Park.

However, an FFF spokesman was unsure on when an agreement will be reached: "Either we will free him immediately, or he will fulfil his notice."

Houllier will meet with FFF chairman Fernand Duchaussoy early next week and admits there are matters that still need to be resolved.

"I am still bound with the French Federation," he said in L'Equipe.

"Moreover, I have commitments such as the one to meet with captains, coaches and referees of Ligue 2 on Monday."

http://tinyurl.com/2wprxl3

[dudley_villa]

Has anyone been paid out on the betting?..

Betfair paid out a few days ago. I only got odds of 1.36 but threw a lot on, MYSTERYMAN was adamant Houllier was our man so I lumped on.

Fair play to that because technically he is not!..

[sonic_bouma]

no change on the situation for me...

still think its likely hel bget next weeks commitments out of the way then join us

[Cracker1234]

Incoming Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier may not be immediately freed from his contract with the French Football Federation (FFF).

The former Liverpool boss was unveiled as Villa's new manager on Friday afternoon but is not expected to be in the dugout until the Carling Cup clash with Blackburn on 22nd September.

Houllier, 63, currently has a contract with the FFF and is trying to negotiate an end to his deal, having signed on for three years at Villa Park.

However, an FFF spokesman was unsure on when an agreement will be reached: "Either we will free him immediately, or he will fulfil his notice."

Houllier will meet with FFF chairman Fernand Duchaussoy early next week and admits there are matters that still need to be resolved.

"I am still bound with the French Federation," he said in L'Equipe.

"Moreover, I have commitments such as the one to meet with captains, coaches and referees of Ligue 2 on Monday."

http://tinyurl.com/2wprxl3

He said all that in the press conference yesterday...I don't see what is new.

[spoonman]

this is a black day in the history of aston villa football club. I've never ever been this deflated in my entire life. we've really been sold down the river. I stayed in bed all day with the covers over my head praying hard that someone of hiddinks class would come. I'm staying in bed all day tomorrow. 3 year contract? that means competing for honours is 8 years away. a disgusting appointment.

haha are all your posts this dramatic?

[bannedfromHandV]

Has anyone been paid out on the betting?..

Betfair paid out a few days ago. I only got odds of 1.36 but threw a lot on, MYSTERYMAN was adamant Houllier was our man so I lumped on.

William Hill paid out the day after, got it at 10/1 as well following the advice/opinion of TheTrees!

[Stevo985]

French Federation don't know how long they need him for, it's on Sky Sports!

Dear god, this just gets better and better.

Maybe we should have kept hold of Milner for a while and told Man City that they could have him when he'd finished tying up a few loose ends....in 2012.

It's a completely different situation.

This isn't a transfer. it's not a case of paying a fee (or compensation) and that's it, he's ours.

[Dodgyknees]

I hope people just heard Thommo on SSN.

Sure did, despite what people said on here I really wanted Thommo as no2 here. I've always liked him and admire the job he did after houllier had the heart attack.

Damn, I missed it. Do you think anybody might have recorded it?

All he did was speak highly of Villa saying it's always been one of the big clubs, it has the set up and great fans to be successful again. Then talked up how much work Houllier will put in to make Villa successful.

Loved the montage of Houlliers career talking up his hoodoo over United. I hope that continues because the celebration I had when we beat United last year will be with me forever.

Nice, thanks for that :-D

[jazzer]

who wants Thompson?

"http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7505731"

[JulieB]

I've Sky + all the Gillette SS stuff from PT etc but I have no idea how to DL or anything to share.

I've just been speaking to Redscouse old flame & he was saying Houllier is a top manager & he can't beleive Villa fans

have been slagging GH off before he's even started. I put him right..... it's mainly the press that have been making out

Villa fans are unhappy. Poll on Villa Talk states 85% of us are happy with the appointment.

We just need a No 2!!

[limvillian]

It is a pity Patrice Bergues is ruled out of comming at the moment, things supposedly began to go downhill at Liverpool not long after he left.

[Villarocker]

I hope people just heard Thommo on SSN.

Sure did, despite what people said on here I really wanted Thommo as no2 here. I've always liked him and admire the job he did after houllier had the heart attack.

Damn, I missed it. Do you think anybody might have recorded it?

All he did was speak highly of Villa saying it's always been one of the big clubs, it has the set up and great fans to be successful again. Then talked up how much work Houllier will put in to make Villa successful.

Loved the montage of Houlliers career talking up his hoodoo over United. I hope that continues because the celebration I had when we beat United last year will be with me forever.

Nice, thanks for that :-D

To be fair to Phil Thompson he was very bullish about the future for Villa with Gerard Houllier has the new manager. He said a lot of very good things about us. He said he remembered coming to Villa Park in the 70's as a player and how difficult it was.

Thompson said how Villa are a massive club and that GH is the best signing the club has ever made. He even said that Houllier has a better base to start from with the players we currently have, than he did when he first joined Liverpool! He said we have everything in place, including the fans, for GH and that it was the perfect club for GH because he has always felt like he had unsettled business in the PL.

Thompson did his level best to try to re-assure Villa fans that they have a very good manager who will do really well for us, he seemed genuine too. He said we should give him time to settle in and then we will benefit from having Houllier. Thompson said that Houllier is a "connoisseur" of football and that he watches the English PL all the time. He said he knows lots of top people in the game and has more contacts than anyone else he knows. Thompson said Houllier's health is better than ever and that he looks better now than when he first took over at Liverpool.

To be fair to Thompson he also did well to ease the fears with regards the timing of the appointment. he quite rightly said that it would have been just as farcical for us to not announce it for a further 2 or 3 weeks when everybody already knows he is getting the job anyway. Le Tissier questioned the timing and asked if it would be better done in a few weeks when he can actually take charge and that's when Thommo gave his reply. Merson even said that it would have been stupid if Kev MacDonald had won the next 5 games and then they gave it to Houllier as it would have upset the fans too much, which is right IMO.

All in all it was a very positive piece and they all seemed to agree that GH will be great for Villa and will improve us because we have the right infastructure for him to work with.