Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier has dismissed reports that he had asked the French Football Federation to keep his role as technical director open.

Houllier insists he asked for a sabbatical to avoid having to serve three months notice so he could start work at Villa sooner rather than later.

He said: "When you resign, you need to serve three months' notice.

"One way of turning that around is to ask for a sabbatical and then you are free immediately."