Gerard Houllier tipped for job at Aston Villa

Ex-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier is in line for a shock return to English football with Aston Villa. It is not yet known exactly what role the Frenchman is in line to take at the Birmingham club, but he could succeed Martin O'Neill as manager after Villa ruled Sven Goran Eriksson out of the running for the job.

However, it is more likely that Houllier will be employed as a director of football with the task of overseeing the club's scouting and recruitment policy.

Houllier, who has held talks with owner Randy Lerner, is said to have jumped to the top of Villa's wanted list as the club's decision-makers began interviews this week.

Caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald is still very much in the running for the manager's job, along with ex-West Ham manager Alan Curbishley, who had a brief spell playing for Aston Villa in the 1980s.

Houllier has not been involved in a management role since he left Lyon in 2007, but has extensive knowledge of English football- he led Liverpool to a cup treble consisting of the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup in 2001.

But the 63-year-old has struggled with health problems in the past, and once suffered a heart attack in the dugout at Anfield. That makes it unlikely that Aston Villa would want him to take over as manager and expose him to the pressures that accompany the position. ·