Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier set to leave hospital

Houllier is hopeful of returning to work (Getty Images)

Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier will be discharged from hospital in the next 24 hours, the club have confirmed.

Houllier has been given the green light to leave the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, eight days after being admitted with a heart problem.

The 63-year-old successfully came through his latest scan and will now undergo a period of rest and recuperation.

Villa caretaker boss Gary McAllister is confident Houllier will eventually return to his Villa Park post.

McAllister said: "Gerard is fantastic. The facts are, as we speak, Gerard has just come through a scan which has been very successful and the doctors are really pleased.

"He is going to be discharged in the next 24 hours.

"It cannot get any better for Gerard in terms of what has happened this morning.

"The good news from the scan has convinced the doctors he is fit enough to go home."

When asked about Houllier's future, McAllister said: "I am sure this is going to be the first question when he does come back.

"It is something he will be advised on by the specialists and the doctors.

"But, knowing Gerard and his love of the game, he will want to come back.

"He found his time away from football very difficult, his time with the French federation when it wasn't a hands-on job like at a club.

"He just loves being with players day to day. I think personally he will be back but there is still quite a bit to run.

"He has still got a bit of recuperation and a lot of rest in the immediate period so he will be guided by the right people.

"We are only eight days away from when he was first admitted and I don't think anyone thought he would be at home."

McAllister is taking his current role on a week-to-week basis and will be in charge for Saturday's clash at West Brom.

He said: "At this moment in time, I am just going from Saturday to Saturday.

"My thinking would be that I will be here for the next couple of weeks.

"But, beyond that, the way Gerard has recovered recently, you just don't know."

Houllier, who underwent major heart surgery when Liverpool manager, was admitted last Wednesday with chest pains.

He was diagnosed as suffering from a dissection of the descending aorta.