Yahoo News Gerard Houllier managed me at Liverpool – I was gutted when he joined Aston Villa
Former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock wasn't pleased when he learnt Gerard Houllier would be taking over at Aston Villa.
The ex-England international had only just signed with the club from Blackburn one year earlier and feared his new adventure would become a nightmare. Back in Liverpool, Warnock graduated from the academy during the tail end of Houllier's time at Anfield; however, he never got an opportunity to be part of the first team.
Although there was no apparent conflict, Warnock presumed Houllier didn't hold him in high regard. This is after being sent on a number of loans to lower-league clubs before the Frenchman left in 2004.
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The 42-year-old spoke on the 'Undr The Cosh' podcast (via the Mirror) about an encounter with Houllier at a charity event just after Martin O'Neill exited Villa Park in 2010. His subsequent revelation made Warnock's stomach churn.
Recalling the conversation, he said: "He came up to me and he starts asking me about Villa, so I asked him, 'Are you getting the job?' And he was like, 'I've got the job.' And my heart sank. I just thought, 'F***, this isn't going to be good for me.'"
Sharing his concerns, he added: "I was worried because of my previous with him at Liverpool. So I was thinking I'm not sure how this is going to go. But I played, which I was quite surprised about, even though I was already a regular in the team."
Initially, Warnock had the impression that Houllier was turning a new page, but it wasn't long before tensions flared between them. Warnock, who was commuting from the north west to the midlands for training, agreed to relocate to Birmingham at Houllier's behest.
He was allotted a few months to secure a new home and schools for his children, with Houllier assuring him he could return to the north west after away games in the area without needing to ask permission. However, when Warnock did just that, Houllier summoned him for an explanation and demanded an apology.
Warnock explained: "He pulled a group of about 10 lads in on the Monday and he said, 'You all went home without asking me.' So I'm standing at the back thinking he's obviously got me wrong here. . .but he comes to me and says, 'Why didn't you ask me?' And I was like, 'You told me I didn't have to ask you.'
"Then he was like, 'I did not say this, why are you lying?' And I was like, 'You f***ing what? Where's that come from?' Then he says, 'You owe me an apology,' and I said, 'I'm not f***ing apologising, I don't owe you anything.'"
The altercation led to Warnock being dropped from the first team. Arriving for training the next day, he was informed by the kit man he had been relegated to the reserves.
An outraged Warnock confronted Houllier for a justification, but the manager simply declined to provide one. Warnock was dropped for the rest of the season, while Houllier eventually resigned at the campaign's conclusion after a health scare.
Warnock remained with Villa for another year before being loaned to Bolton in 2012 and then transferred to Leeds in 2013. Despite Houllier's earlier departure, Warnock still holds him responsible for derailing his career.
Reflecting on the swift change in his circumstances, he remarked: "I went from playing for England to training with Villa's reserves in two weeks. . .It was tough to take."
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