Assistant boss McAllister will be in charge of Saturday's home Premier League clash with Stoke while Houllier remains in hospital after suffering chest pains on Wednesday. McAllister was a player at Liverpool when Houllier underwent heart surgery a decade ago and initially feared the worst after hearing of his current plight. But his mind was soon put at rest and Houllier has been helping to continue to run Villa from his hospital bed. McAllister said: "I think he will be back, most definitely, knowing the guy. "Once you get to know him a bit better you'll know the type of person he is. "We're only two days away from it (having chest pains) happening and I've had three teams texted to my phone. "He's organised training for the last two days so his mind is on the job. "People ask why he should want to carry on at his age (63) but you could level the same question at Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Roy Hodgson. "These guys are madly, deeply in love with the game and they cannot go without it. "It's simple. They're living through the game. "Maybe they didn't get the success as a player but, when they've moved to the managerial side, they're living that life of not being top players through the management side." McAllister admitted: "I was thinking the worst initially because I was there in the dressing room at Liverpool and I know what happened when he left Anfield that day. "He was quickly rushed to hospital and had 11-hour surgery. But this time that's not the case. There is no surgery required, and things have settled pretty quickly. "The doctors want him there in hospital so that they can monitor him, do the tests they need to do, and get him back on an even keel." McAllister knows it is crucial that Houllier listens to the advice of the specialists before returning to Villa. He was back at work within five months at Liverpool when in a far worst state health-wise than now. McAllister said: "I think this time is definitely going to be dictated by the doctors and the specialist. It cannot be the gaffer's decision or anyone at Aston Villa. "It's got to be the doctors and the people at the hospital who tell him when he's ready to go back. "He would be foolish to not listen to these people. I think that's the big thing. "He's got to be guided and everybody has got to be guided by the specialist."
