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Former Liverpool, Aston Villa and France manager Gerard Houllier has passed away at 73.
Houllier, who enjoyed a managerial career that lasted nearly 40 years before retiring in 2011, passed away Monday morning after suffering from health problems for a time.
Getty Images – Getty
Gerard Houllier tragically passed away at the age of 73
He is best known in England for managing Liverpool between 1998 and 2004, although he also took over Aston Villa at the end of his career.
He was the coach of the French national team in the early 1990s and PSG also won their first French league title in 1986.
With Liverpool, Houllier won a famous FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup treble in the 2000/01 season.
Tributes were quickly paid to Houllier, with various players, clubs and experts paying their respects.
Danny Murphy, who won six trophies with Houllier while in Liverpool, co-hosted talkSPORT’s White and Jordan when he heard the tragic news, offering his own tribute to his former boss live and on air.
When asked how much the manager meant to him, Murphy told talkSPORT: “A lot
“He wanted him to talk, that’s the kind of man he was, he always wanted you to be the best and to try to overcome your fears.
“He changed my career. He made me see football in a different way, the way he took care of me.
“He was smart, a warm character. He couldn’t kick a ball, sometimes we laughed when he tried in training, but in terms of tactics, captivating a room and inspiring people, it was fantastic. A great man.
Gerard Houllier RIP
Houllier managed from 1973 to 2011 and enjoyed spells in charge of Liverpool, Aston Villa, PSG and the French national team.
CLUB HONORS
- Paris saint germain
Division 1: 1985/86 - Liverpool
FA Cup: 2000/01
Football League Cup: 2000/01, 2002/03
FA Charity Shield: 2001
UEFA Cup: 2000/01
UEFA Super Cup: 2001 - Lyon
League 1: 2005/06, 2006/07
Champions Trophy: 2005, 2006 - France U18
UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 1996
INDIVIDUAL HONORS
- UEFA team of the year: 2001
- European Coach of the Year: Alf Ramsey Award: 2001
- World Soccer Magazine Global Manager of the Year: 2001
- Onze d’Or Coach of the Year: 2001
- Ligue 1 Manager of the Year: 2007
- Premier League Manager of the Month: December 1999, March 2002, October 2002
- Knight of the Legion of Honor: 2002
“The warmth that he always gave me is still felt when I talk about him.
“I have a lot to thank you for.
“I would be grateful for the years he has had since he first died, on the operating table. It was a massive heart attack, but they brought him back and it was remarkable what happened and what he accomplished afterward.
“He could barely speak after that operation, but a few weeks later he still called me when we beat Manchester United and I dialed to say ‘well done.’
“That’s the kind of person he was.” He put in place what was needed for Liverpool to be where it is now.
“I can’t even put into words the impact it had on my career. I am the person I am now because of him. “
Murphy’s Reds teammate Michael Owen wrote on Twitter: “Absolutely heartbroken to hear that my former boss, Gérard Houllier, sadly passed away. A great manager and a genuinely caring man. “
Jamie Carragher, also part of the team that won the Liverpool hat-trick in the 2000/01 season, added: “Absolutely devastated by the news about Gerard Houllier, I contacted him last month to organize his arrival at Liverpool.
“I loved that man in pieces, he changed me as a person and as a player and he got back @LFC by winning trophies. RIP Boss “.
Liverpool’s fierce rivals Everton added: “Our thoughts are with the family of former France coach Liverpool, PSG and Aston Villa, Gerard Houllier, as well as those close to him on Merseyside. RIP Gerard “.
TalkSPORT’s Darren Bent, who played with Houllier at Aston Villa, continued: “RIP Boss, we will miss you, I couldn’t say enough about you, not just as a manager but also as a person. It taught me to see things differently. Condolences to the Houllier family ”.
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