Glenn Roeder says he hopes Gerard Houllier can make a full recovery
after having had heart surgery.
Houllier has been told by doctors that he can get involved more with his job again, albeit from his hospital bed, and Glenn says:
"Though I don't know him well I have read a lot about him recently.
"He is obviously a man like the rest of us who lives football 24 hours a day and never switches off."
Despite recent talk of pressure on managers, Glenn says that football is not necessarily to blame for Gerard's illness.
"Bobby Robson said he lost his younger brother to the same condition and he had never had a stressful job in his life, so it is possible that Gerard could have had this heart condition even if he had not been involved in football.
"The game might not be the reason for it happening, but I wish him well.
"I hope he takes all the time that is needed to get fully fit, and when he is I hope he makes the right decision whether to carry on or whether he feels it is not worth risking his health in a pressure situation."
Glenn knows it will not be easy for Gerard to walk away from the game and adds:
"Once you have been in football as long as he has I expect it will be a difficult decision.
"It is not a nine to five job; you are working with the players but get in the training ground before the they do and leave after they've gone.
"You are doing something the whole day - but I'm not complaining; it becomes a way of life and it's a way of life that when you can't do it you are going to miss."
Houllier has been told by doctors that he can get involved more with his job again, albeit from his hospital bed, and Glenn says:
"Though I don't know him well I have read a lot about him recently.
"He is obviously a man like the rest of us who lives football 24 hours a day and never switches off."
Despite recent talk of pressure on managers, Glenn says that football is not necessarily to blame for Gerard's illness.
"Bobby Robson said he lost his younger brother to the same condition and he had never had a stressful job in his life, so it is possible that Gerard could have had this heart condition even if he had not been involved in football.
"The game might not be the reason for it happening, but I wish him well.
"I hope he takes all the time that is needed to get fully fit, and when he is I hope he makes the right decision whether to carry on or whether he feels it is not worth risking his health in a pressure situation."
Glenn knows it will not be easy for Gerard to walk away from the game and adds:
"Once you have been in football as long as he has I expect it will be a difficult decision.
"It is not a nine to five job; you are working with the players but get in the training ground before the they do and leave after they've gone.
"You are doing something the whole day - but I'm not complaining; it becomes a way of life and it's a way of life that when you can't do it you are going to miss."