Gérard Houllier passes away
The former Paris Saint-Germain and France coach has died, aged 73.
An amateur footballer, Gérard Houllier was an English teacher at the time he decided to become a coach. He took charge of the Touquet club, then Noeux-les-Mines and Lens before joining Paris Saint Germain in 1985.
With the Rouge et Bleu, he won the French title, thanks in large part to a 26-game unbeaten run. In 1988, Gérard Houllier joined the French Football Federation and became assistant coach to Michel Platini, then in charge of the national team, in 1992.
The surprise defeat to Bulgaria (1-2, 17/11/1993) meant no trip to the USA for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He became the National Technical Director until - in 1998 - he was appointed Liverpool manager.
In 2001, the Reds won four trophies, including the UEFA Cup and European Super Cup. On 13 October 2001, Houllier suffered a major heart attack and underwent open-heart surgery. He made his return to the dug-out a few months later and won the 2003/04 League Cup, but his contract was not extended.
After a year out of the game, he joined Lyon and won two further league titles. He left in 2007 to take on the National Technical Director role again until September 2010. He returned to England for a season at Aston Villa (2011/12).
In June 2012, he became the New York Red Bulls' sporting director and then took charge of the Red Bull group's football interests around the world.
Since 1 September, 2016, he had been an external consultant at Lyon.
The whole of the Paris Saint-Germain family would like to present its condolences to his family and loved ones.