Aston Villa will be without manager Gerard Houllier for the remainder of the season after the 63-year-old was hospitalized with chest pains. The Fresnchman was just hired last September and has had somewhat of a tumultuous season, but the club has worked their way out of the relegation battle and is up to 10th now. Now assistant Gary McAllister will take over the managerial duties for the remainder of the season while Houllier and the club await a prognosis from the doctors before considering Houllier's future with the club.
Gerard Houllier’s Health Issues Come At Bad Time For Aston Villa
Thankfully, Houllier’s condition is still being described as “very positive” so it does not appear as if his life is in danger, but the future of Aston Villa most certainly is. As Aaron Campeau from SB Nation’s Aston Villa blog 7500 To Holte notes, there’s a delicate balance in acknowledging the seriousness of Houllier’s health issues with the reality of the impact that his health issues have on the club.
As someone that has consistently defended Houllier, this is frustrating. Just as it seems things are starting to turn in the right direction the man is stricken with serious and very scary illness. After a year of upheaval and turmoil things were finally starting to settle down at Villa Park, and now we’re faced with the club employing its fourth manager since the end of last season. While I think we can all agree that football is nowhere near as important as a man’s well being, I don’t think it’s crass to say that I’m relieved that Villa were able to put themselves into safety before this happened.
In no way are football results more important than a man's health, but there is a cloud of uncertainty hanging over Villa Park right now. Matin O'Neill's departure just prior to the start of this season put the club in a state of flux and Houllier's first few months were anything but smooth. Just as he appeared to have righted the ship and established some sort of stability, his future is in doubt now. With that, the future of the club is in doubt and with the possible departure of Ashley Young this summer and need for some more acquisitions, it is hardly the ideal time to deal with such issues.
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