Aston Villa fans haven't had too much to cheer about this season, with their side slipping from pushing for Europe to battling against relegation in what must have seemed like the blink of an eye. When their manager Gerard Houllier was forced to miss their last league game against Stoke due to a medical problem, things must have seemed even worse for the club's loyal fans.
However, some good news has emerged this week, with the Villa manager revealing that he is making an "encouraging" recovery despite still being in hospital under the care of specialists. The 63-year-old was forced to undergo major heart surgery in 2001 whilst managing Liverpool but checked with specialists prior to taking another job in the Premier League last year. The specialists informed him that his heart would be able to hold up to the stresses and strains of life in English football but as any manager knows, the reality can be somewhat different to the expectations.
Whether or not Houllier will be able to return to his coaching duties at the club before the end of the current season hasn't yet been made public but the club at least have a worthy man to step in to his shoes in the form of Gary McAllister, who has worked closely with the rest of the coaching staff to lead the players in the absence of the manager.
With Villa set to take on West Brom this weekend and with tough assignments against both Arsenal and Liverpool on the horizon, Houllier himself will be hoping to make as speedy a return as possible, that's for sure. Make sure you follow all the remaining action at home on TV and if you're out, just set your DVD recorder or make good use of your slingbox!
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