Remi Garde: ‘Unbelievable honour’ to take Villa helm

Remi Garde was appointed Aston Villa’s manager yesterday – and described his new role as “an unbelievalbe honour”.

New manager Remi Garde (right), who has signed a deal until 2019, at White Hart Lane last night. Picture: Getty Images

But the former Lyon boss, who has signed a deal until 2019, saw first hand the difficult job he faces when he watched Villa lose 3-1 in their Barclays Premier League clash at Tottenham last night.

Villa, who sacked Tim Sherwood last month, are bottom of the league, having lost their last seven games.

Garde’s first game in charge could not be more difficult either as Villa host leaders Manchester City on Sunday.

The 49-year-old Frenchman, Villa’s fifth manager in the last five years, said: “It is an unbelievable honour to be the manager of such an illustrious football club.I’ve had extremely positive meetings with both the owner, Randy Lerner, and chief executive Tom Fox.

“They have ambitious plans for the club and I’m excited that they have turned to me to help them realise them.

“Obviously we have a difficult task in front of us, but I’m looking forward to the challenge with the support of everyone who loves Aston Villa.”

Garde spent three years in charge at Lyon, winning the French Cup in 2012, and left for personal reasons in 2014.

He held talks with Newcastle earlier this year when the Magpies were looking to replace Alan Pardew.

Garde won the Premier League with Arsenal in 1998 and made 45 appearances for the Gunners after joining in 1996 before retiring three years later. He also played for Lyon for six years before moving to Strasbourg in 1993 and won six caps for France.

Villa chairman Lerner said: “Remi came with ideas, honesty, humour and a steely sense of what it will take for Aston Villa to be what it is meant to be – hard working, tireless, creative and unwilling to concede.

“Nobody at Villa can deny that we are way behind. We recruited aggressively this past summer and it is our responsibility to now harvest this talent rather than buckle under pressure and criticism – we are better than that.

“On behalf of the board, we wish Remi every success.”

When Villa sacked Sherwood, his backroom staff, Ray Wilkins, Mark Robson and Seamus Brady, also left in a coaching clear-out.

Garde wanted to bring Bruno Genesio and Gerald Baticle, who he worked with at Lyon, with him, but the French club’s president Jean-Michel Aulas said they were going nowhere.

Since then Bastia assistant Reginald Ray has been linked with Villa.