Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has been announced as the new manager of English Premier League Club Aston Villa.
Houllier, 63, has spent the last three years as the technical director for the French national team, but has agreed to return to English football after signing what is believed to be a two-year deal with the Villans.
Villa has been without a manager since former boss Martin O'Neill walked out on the club on the eve of the season.
"I am very happy and proud to join this great and historic club," Houllier said.
"It was a very difficult decision for me to leave the FFF (French Football Federation) but I could not turn down the opportunity to manage a club whose approach, both on and off the pitch, I have long admired."
"Aston Villa is one of England's biggest clubs and has an amazing set of fans. This is a tremendous challenge and one I am very much looking forward to taking on."
As a manager Houllier claimed French Ligue 1 titles during his time with Olympique Lyonnais and Paris St. Germain, and also won the unique treble in the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup with Liverpool in 2001.
The Frenchman fitted Villa's criteria of having previous managerial experience in the English Premier League, while his proven international track record made him the front runner for the job.
"Two of the key qualities which we identified as being of crucial importance in our search for the new manager were experience of managing in the Premier League and a strategy for building on the existing strengths in our current squad, and Gerard Houllier comfortably satisfies these criteria," said Aston Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner.
"In fact, he stands out as a football man who understands the ethos of our club and shares our core values."
"We look forward to working with Gerard and supporting him and we ask our supporters to get behind the new manager and the team as we look to build on the progress we have made over the past four years in all areas of the club."