Gerard Houllier to take up Aston Villa position after Premier League contest against Bolton

It means that the former Liverpool manager’s first game as Martin O’Neill’s successor will be the Carling Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers at Villa Park next Wednesday.

Houllier was unveiled to supporters and the media last Friday, but the Frenchman immediately revealed that he would not be able to begin work because of ongoing commitments to the French Football Federation, of whom he is technical director.

The 63 year-old missed Monday's 2-1 defeat at Stoke because of prior commitments in Paris. He had meetings over the first three days of the week, and there were concerns that he would be required to fulfil the three-month notice period in his contract.

The delay over Houllier’s arrival has brought considerable criticism on Villa, but it has emerged that Houllier will be allowed to leave the FFF and begin work in the Midlands from the weekend. He will be in the Villa Park stands for this weekend's Premier League match against Bolton.

It comes soon after Kevin MacDonald - who will choose the team for Bolton and take up a position in the technical area - expressed his disappointment at being passed over for the managerial vacancy, and suggested that he may leave the club to further his own career.