Houllier set to rejoin Lyon as general manager

Lyon (AFP) – Former Lyon coach Gerard Houllier is set to rejoin the French Ligue 1 runners-up as general manager, club president Jean-Michel Aulas said on Monday.

The return of the 68-year-old Houllier, who coached the Rhone club to two Ligue 1 titles during his previous spell from 2005-07, depends on him passing a medical.

“We agreed with Gerard Houllier that he will probably come back. There is just one important point. Gerard has had health problems in the past and we’ll see the view of our cardiologist on Thursday,” Aulas told the club’s television channel OLTV.

“It will be a different job to the coach. He will be the boss of the technical structures of the club, the recruitment, the men’s and women’s academies. I hope that this will happen.”

Bruno Genesio is head coach after taking over from the sacked Hubert Fournier in December last year, and Aulas said last week that he was expecting to extend his contract.

Houllier was head coach of the French national team for one year from 1992-93, and manager of Liverpool from 1998-2004, winning four major trophies at Anfield including the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup in 2001.

The Frenchman was rushed to hospital with a heart condition in October 2001 after falling ill at half-time of a Premier League match with Leeds United. He was also admitted to hospital with heart problems while in charge of Aston Villa in 2011. 

Houllier currently has a contract with Red Bull as head of global football until June 30.