Gerard Houllier dead: Former Liverpool manager dies aged 73

Houllier also took charge of fellow Premier League side Aston Villa as well as Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon in a hugely successful managerial career

Former Liverpool and Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier has passed away aged 73 (Getty Images)

Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has passed away aged 73.

Houllier also took charge fellow Premier League side Aston Villa as well as Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon in a hugely successful managerial career.

He was also manager of the French national side.

A former player Houllier’s finest hour in English football came with the Uefa Cup, FA Cup and League Cup treble in the 2000/01 season with Liverpool.

Hugely popular with players and others within the game tributes soon poured in as news of his death emerged on Monday morning.

Gary Lineker described him as “one of football’s smartest, warmest and loveliest people” while Michael Owen, who played under him at Liverpool, described himself as “absolutely heartbroken” by the news.

Houllier’s finest hour at Liverpool came in the 2000/01 season (Getty Images)

“Absolutely heartbroken to hear that my old boss, Gérard Houllier, has sadly passed away,” he said on social media. “A great manager and a genuinely caring man.”

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher added: "Absolutely devastated by the news about Gerard Houllier, I was in touch with him only last month to arrange him coming to Liverpool. 

"Loved that man to bits, he changed me as a person and as a player and got LFC back winning trophies. RIP Boss." 

Liverpool themselves tweeted: “The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool Football Club are with Gerard’s family and many friends. Rest in peace."

Houllier took charge of the French national team in 1992 before resigning a year later after failure to secure qualification for the 1994 World Cup.

He joined Liverpool in 1998, at first as co-manager with Roy Evans, before taking over solely.

He oversaw a period of transition before the hugely successful 2000/01 campaign where the club won both domestic cups, the Uefa Cup, after victory over Alaves in the final, as well as the Charity Shield and Uefa Super Cup to start the following season.

He left in 2004, replaced by Rafa Benitez at Anfield, before going on to lead Lyon to two Ligue 1 crowns back in France.

Houllier returned to English football in 2010 with Aston Villa, helping them to a ninth-placed finish, before being forced to step down later that season due to ill health.

He went on to take on various technical roles within the game, notably with the Red Bull franchise, as well as the hugely successful Lyon women’s team.