As many thought, after Houllier's turbulent start at Villa it did seem like things were starting to click towards the back end of last season. It is difficult to know how the transfer market would have been handled under Houllier, but it does make you wonder how Villa would have progressed under him.
With this being a slow news day other than the N'Zogbia transfer, this is just another discussion piece. With the obvious experience and (more importantly) connections that Houllier has, would he be suited to a Director of Football role at Villa Park?
Villa could use his connections and scouting network, and he would in turn be able to finish that "unfinished business", whatever that may be.
It would have to be an independent role from the manager, because it is often seen as counter-productive when the DoF gets involved with transfers and team selection. McLeish could well benefit from his experience though, and they could make quite a team.
It would largely depend on Houllier being able to stand back from the managerial role. He did it for France, but whether or not he could he do it now after having tasted Premier League management again is another question altogether.
As mentioned previously, this is based on nothing more than Houllier's recent comments, but with his seeming affection for Villa and the desire to see something through, it may be a worthwhile appointment.