Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier will be back for next season – Gary McAllister

EPL : Gerard Houllier, Aston Villa v Newcastle United

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Aston Villa’s assistant manager Gary McAllister has said Gerard Houllier will definitely return to the club next season.

Houllier has suffered heart problems and has been missing since April, leaving McAllister to take charge of the first team.

And with this being his second complaint after undergoing open-heart surgery during his time at Liverpool, many wondered whether the Frenchman would return to the club, including Villa right-back Luke Young.

McAllister, though, is certain Houllier will be back soon, but admitted that there was no time frame for when he would return.

“Gerard is very good. I’ve seen quite a bit of him this week, and I’ve been speaking to him a great deal,” said McAllister.

“I’ve been over and we ventured out and had a bit of lunch. He’s up and about, certainly more free around the house, so he’s good.

“There have been loads of conversations with chief executive Paul Faulkner, myself, getting on with things, preparing for next year.

“Apart from not being fit enough to take training, he is certainly fit enough to be getting on with the business side of things, which you would do in the office after a training session.

“Every indication I’ve got from speaking to Gerard, how positive he is in his own mind and from all the things we’ve chatted about, is he is eager to go into the summer prepared for pre-season.

“As you can imagine there’s quite a lot of work to be done. That’s a fact.

“When you come to this end of the season, as much as people think it’s a winding down for the club, there is a lot of preparation and stuff that needs to be set in place for next season.

“That entails people who are in our plans, and those who are not, people whose contracts we want to extend, those who are coming up to certain lengths of the contract they have left.

“So there are certainly a few things that need to be ironed out.”

On the possibility that Houllier could make an emotional return for the visit of former club Liverpool, where he won a cup treble, McAllister added: “He won’t be in the dugout, but there might be a visit of such. Maybe there is a chance of it, although it’s something we’ve not spoken about.”

Despite the turmoil of losing their manager, Villa have kept above the relegation places and are six points from safety with just two matches remaining, although they face a tough trip to the Emirates on Sunday to face Arsenal.

With the future of Ashley Young dominating talk surrounding the Midlands club, McAllister has calmed fears that American goalkeeper Brad Friedel could also be leaving at the end of the season.

“I don’t know if there are other clubs interested, but there have been discussions and a contract offer made to Brad,” said McAllister.

“He’s had a fantastic season, no doubt about that, but everybody is aware of his age, and it’s something we’ve got to be looking at as well.

“But he’s played the part of the experienced player very well.”