Houllier won?t need surgery

Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier will not need surgery after he was hospitalised due to chest pains.

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London – Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier doesn't need surgery after going into hospital with chest pains, his assistant Gary McAllister revealed on Friday.

Houllier underwent a major heart operation while in charge at Liverpool in 2001 and it was feared the Frenchman may have been in a similiar situation when it emerged he was admitted to a Birmingham hospital on Wednesday.

But the 63-year-old needs only medicine and rest to recover according to McAllister, who will take charge of the team against Stoke on Saturday.

McAllister said: “I visited Gerard yesterday (Thursday) in hospital after training and was surprised how well he looked.

“It was really surprising. If you took away all the stuff attached to his arms, he didn't look ill.

“He is on the coronary ward. He was great and bubbly. He had a tough night but he was looking surprisingly well and in fine fettle.”

When asked if Houllier would need surgery, McAllister said:

“They (the specialists) are definitely saying there is no surgery needed, which is a massive plus.

“The last time there was major surgery. This time there will be no surgery needed, purely medicine and rest.”

Former Liverpool midfielder McAllister is confident the players will rally around Houllier in the same way as when Phil Thompson took charge at Anfield in the absence of the Frenchman.

He said: “There was shock within the Liverpool dressing room and we knew there was a major problem with the length of the surgery and what it entailed. It was a big operation.

“But Phil Thompson came in and that midweek we went to Kiev for a Champions League game and it was the first time Kiev had been beaten in Russia.

“The players rallied and were playing for the manager and I'm sure that is what will happen here.” – Sapa-AFP

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/houllier-won-t-need-surgery-1.1060579

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