Houllier to usher in an age of austerity for Aston Villa

It has taken 30 days, but Aston Villa have finally found a replacement for former boss Martin O'Neill, who walked out on them on the eve of the new season. He is former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier.

The 63-year-old Frenchman has not managed a Premier League team for six years, but the Villa board have put their faith in him and offered what is understood to be a three-year contract.

Houllier resigned from his role as technical director with the French Football Federation (FFF) yesterday and immediately announced that he was off to England. Given France's travails on the pitch recently, Houllier's passing may not be mourned by fans of Les Blues.

Talking about his new role at Villa, Houllier said: "I am very happy and proud to join this great and historic club.

"It was a very difficult decision to leave the FFF but I could not turn down the opportunity to manage a club whose approach, both on and off the pitch, I have long admired. Villa is one of England's biggest clubs and has an amazing set of fans. This is a tremendous challenge and one I am very much looking forward to taking on."

His appointment, however, is a surprise one. Alan Curbishley, out of work for two years despite once being considered for the England job, was reportedly interviewed by the club, as was former Manchester City manager Sven Goran Eriksson.

Villa have been erratic under caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald, but he is in the frame to be Houllier's deputy after Phil Thompson, who worked with the Frenchman at Liverpool, turned down the post.

Houllier's appointment also appears to mark the dawning of a new age of austerity for the club, owned by American Randy Lerner.

He and O'Neill fell out over transfer budgets and Houllier's background with the lauded Clairefontaine academy in France, which has fostered the talents of Hatem Ben Arfa and Abou Diaby in recent years, is likely to have been a key factor in his appointment.

Lerner is likely to want the new manager to bring through new players rather than splash out in the transfer market.

However, the reaction among Villa fans on the internet has not been good. Houllier's six-year reign at Anfield has been picked apart to find mistakes and he will have work to do to win over the Villa faithful. ·