Gerrard backs Houllier to shine
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has backed his former manager Gerard Houllier to shine in his new job at Aston Villa.
Houllier signed a contract with Aston Villa two days ago but it seems a few fans have been a little wary of the new manager at the club. However, Gerrard says there are many qualities he showed during his Liverpool days that are likely to be repeated.
Aston Villa has not enjoyed their mixed start to the Premier League season that includes two wins and a 6-0 loss to Newcastle United. It's very important the club pulls together and backs the new manager if the club wants to ensure a top six finish by the end of the season.
Houllier has a number of qualities that he is going to show during his time at Aston Villa. He must be given the time and space to develop his own style and his own team at the club.
Managerial qualities
Houllier is not a manager that will be seen jumping up and down on the sidelines. He is a very calm and measured manager that will work from player to player in order to increase individual performance and belief.
He's a very good technical coach. He got his first taste of power at Liverpool in 1998 and this is the same time that Gerrard was starting his career at the Merseyside club. Gerrard has said that Houllier taught him a lot and he can do the same with every player in the Aston Villa squad.
Houllier is no stranger to pressure and this will help him settle back in to Premier League life. He's had spells at many French clubs including Lyon and Paris St-Germain. He also managed France between 1992 and 1993. This ensures that he'll stand up to the pressure and has joined Aston Villa for the long-term.
Gerrard said: "I've still got quite a close relationship with Gerard. He gave me my chance at the top level and I certainly learnt an awful lot from him. Aston Villa have got themselves a very good manager and I am not surprised Gerard has come back into the Premier League."
Time and space
It can be very easy for fans to put pressure on a club to produce instant results. Houllier must be given the time and the space to develop his own team at Aston Villa. He will already have players in mind that he wants to sign in January.
The finance in English football has never been greater. Aston Villa has a very wealthy owner in Randy Lerner who will put pressure on Houllier to give him a return for his money by the end of the season. Aston Villa must avoid any knee jerk reaction as Houllier needs time to be successful.
Gerrard added: "He has been desperate to get back involved in the Premier League so it is no surprise to me. It has been no surprise to me that Villa have been interested in him because he is a top manager. When he comes in, he knows what he wants, and he knows how to get a winning team."
Betting advice
The new manager will have his work cut out at Aston Villa if he wants to guarantee that the club will be in the top six by the end of the season. A more realistic approach is to back Aston Villa on a match by match basis.
This will be much safer than gambling on the club's end of season position. It will also allow you to take advantage of some big scores that the club could secure against the weaker teams in the Premier League.
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