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Gerard Houllier, a former Liverpool manager, passed away at the age of 73.
The Frenchman, who spent six years at Anfield, died a few days after a heart operation in Paris; he had only come home on Sunday.
The news was confirmed in France initially by both The team and RMC.
Game of the Day host Gary Lineker immediately paid tribute on social media, saying, “Oh no! Gerard Houllier has passed away. One of the smartest, warmest and most charming people in football.”
Michael Owen, who spent six years at Anfield with Houllier, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2001 under the Frenchman, declared himself “absolutely heartbroken.”
He called Houllier: “A great coach and a genuinely caring man.”
(Image: Reuters)
Houllier, who enjoyed great success in France with Lens, PSG and within the national youth organization, notably for his role in the emergence of Clairefontaine in the 1990s and the development of several 1998 World Cup winners from Les Bleus, including Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet – Initially came to Anfield in July 1998 and joined the club as co-manager with Roy Evans.
Evans resigned on November 10, leaving Houllier in sole charge, from where he rebuilt a team that had been labeled the “Spice Boys.”
That culminated in the club’s success of five trophies in 2001, as it won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, League Cup, Charity Shield and the UEFA Super Cup, while also returning to the European Cup. for the first time since the 1980s.
(Image: Colin Lane / Liverpool Echo)
However, in October 2001, Houllier underwent emergency heart surgery after falling ill on the bench during a Premier League game against Leeds United.
He was rushed to the hospital for an emergency operation due to the discovery of a heart condition, an aortic dissection.
However, he returned to the club after a five-month absence and, with the help of assistant Phil Thompson, led the club to second place in the 2001-02 season.
Houllier finally left Liverpool in 2004, having overseen a review of the club’s youth system, being replaced by Rafa Benítez.
(Image: Reuters)
He would subsequently return to training in France with Lyon in 2005, winning Ligue 1 in his only season at Stade Gerland, before returning to England with Aston Villa in 2010.
However, Houllier’s term at Villa Park was cut short due to illness, forcing him to resign after only nine months.
(Image: Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Houllier, who was awarded the Legion of Honor for his services to French football and an honorary OBE for his services to British football, would become director of world football at Red Bull in 2012.
He would go on to work once again with the French Federation and Ligue 1, before returning in recent years to Lyon, becoming the technical director of the club’s women’s team and their OL Reign team in the USA and remaining a close confidant of President Jean-Michel. Classrooms.
Jamie Carragher added: “Absolutely devastated by the news about Gerard Houllier, I was in contact with him last month to organize his arrival at Liverpool.
“I loved that man to pieces, he changed me as a person and as a player and he got Liverpool back by winning trophies. RIP Boss.”
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