Gerard Houllier profile

Houllier hopes for another champagne soaking on cup final day

BBC Sport Online profiles Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier as he prepares to lead his side out at the Millennium Stadium for a second time this season.

Gerard Houllier assumed sole control of Liverpool when his partnership with Roy Evans was dissolved in November 1998.

And it has been largely uphill ever since.

With Evans gone, the Frenchman quickly set about instigating his own revolution.

In the summer of 1999, he bought six players, including defenders Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz, who have become one of the best central defensive double acts in Europe.

Since July last year, Houllier has shelled out £18.5m on another six players - a move which has paid off in a big way.

He has already won the Worthington Cup this season, the FA Cup is within his grasp and the Uefa Cup final is just around the corner.

Houllier's long association with Anfield stems back to the late Sixties, when he was a teacher in Liverpool.

Houllier had a brief spell in charge of France

He even stood on the famous Kop to watch the Merseyside club defeat Dundalk 10-0 in the European Fairs Cup in 1969.

His career then took him back to France, where, as a 26-year-old, he became player-coach at Le Touquet.

Houllier became youth coach at Arras before becoming head coach at Noeux Les Mines, a team he guided into the French Second Division courtesy of two consecutive promotions.

His success continued when he took over at Lens. He helped the club to promotion as well as earning them qualification into the Uefa Cup.

He secured the French title for Paris St. Germain in 1986 before entering the realms of international management.

He became technical director of the French team as well as assistant to national team coach Michel Platini.

Houllier was eventually promoted to national team manager only for his reign to end when France failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

He continued as technical director and masterminded France's European under-18's championship success in 1996 before playing a key role in France's 1998 World Cup victory.

Houllier now wants to capture an incredible cup treble.