Exclusive: Villa to make ambitious move for Benitez if Houllier fails to return

By Laurie Whitwell for the Daily Mail
Updated: 21:31 EST, 6 May 2011

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Aston Villa are set to turn to Rafa Benitez as a replacement for Gerard Houllier, should the Frenchman fail to recover from his health problems.

Houllier, 63, is not expected to return to Villa this season and has been advised to walk away from the game after a recent heart scare left him in hospital for a week.

Villa have yet to make a formal decision with three games of the Barclays Premier League season left and Houllier’s No 2 Gary McAllister in caretaker charge.

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Benitez, 51, replaced Houllier as Liverpool boss in 2004 and is available after leaving Inter Milan in December. The Spaniard knows McAllister well and considered him for a coaching role at Anfield. He is also well versed in Villa’s youth set-up, having monitored many of their players while at Liverpool.

He left Anfield after tussles with then-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, but that has not put off Villa’s American owner Randy Lerner. He sees Benitez as a strong tactician who can attract top names to the club.

Sam Allardyce, Fulham’s Mark Hughes and Everton’s David Moyes will also be considered but Villa want to act in respect of Houllier’s health and will assess how he progresses.

Caretaker boss McAllister said: ‘He’s doing very good. I’m speaking to him regularly, and I’ve got to see him this afternoon. He’s progressing nicely, everything’s moving along fine, and each time I see him — I’m not there as frequently now, I’m just giving him a bit of space, but he just looks better and better.

‘At this moment, I’d probably say I’ll be here through the final three games. But that might change — the doctors, he still sees them regularly of course, and if he keeps progressing, you can never say never — but at this moment, I’d say I will be here.

On the mend: Gerard Houllier was released from hospital after his heart troubles

‘We talk all the time about the shape and the personnel in the team so there are loads of discussions about who’s looking to maybe break into the team.

‘We had a good little run going there which came to an end (with the defeat at West Bromwich last time). So we have discussed little bits and bobs, tactical changes, even personnel changes.

‘But as it stands, the guys that have got us those results, they were very disappointed to lose at The Hawthorns, so we’ll keep that in mind as well.’

Villa take on relegation-threatened Wigan at Villa Park on Saturday. The visitors’ manager Roberto Martinez thinks surviving this season could be a watershed moment for his squad. ‘In a very strange way they need to enjoy this challenge because that’s something which is going to help them progress in their careers,’ said the Spaniard.

‘If you don’t enjoy your football you cannot be as good or as composed as you have to be. If they enjoy their football we will achieve our aims, I have no doubt about that.’