Remi Garde has revealed Gerard Houllier advised him to take up the vacant coach s position at Aston Villa.
Houllier spent less than a year at Villa Park between 2010 and 2011 before stepping down due to illness.
Garde previously worked as the 68-year-old s assistant at Lyon, and disclosed the close relationship between the pair facilitated his decision to join Villa as Tim Sherwood s replacement.
Gerard told me a lot of good, positive things, he told AVTV.
He encouraged me to take the job. We had a long chat together.
Actually I visited him when he was manager of Aston Villa. So I was not totally lost when I came here to [training ground] Bodymoor Heath.
We liked each other very much. I don t know why sometimes you can t explain why.
We had a spell together at Lyon and then we never lost contact.
Of course when he spoke to me about Aston Villa it was all positive.
He told me: Go on, it s a difficult situation currently but it s a big club with people who will work for you . He told me they were very supportive.
After watching Monday s 3-1 defeat to Tottenham from the stands, Garde s first fixture at the helm will be at home against Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday.
