Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier would not be drawn on speculation he is being lined up for a role with Aston Villa.
Houllier is reportedly in contention to fill the void left by the departure of Martin O'Neill just five days before Villa's opening Premier League game against West Ham.
It is unclear whether the 63-year-old Frenchman is being considered for an outright manager's job or a director of football role but Houllier would not comment on speculation when he arrived for Jamie Carragher's testimonial game against an Everton XI at Anfield on Saturday.
"Never and always are two words you can't use in football," Houllier said.
Houllier managed Liverpool between 1998 and 2004, after initial taking joint control of the team alongside Roy Evans. He is remembered at Anfield for the success he enjoyed in 2001, when he led Liverpool to a UEFA Cup, FA Cup, League Cup treble. After leaving Merseyside, he managed French side Lyon, winning two Ligue 1 titles in 2006 and 2007.
Houllier is currently a technical director for the French Football Federation.
