Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry insisted today that Gerard Houllier would return to the manager's chair at Anfield.
The Frenchman's fellow Premiership manager, Leeds' David O'Leary, voiced concern about his friend returning to the stresses and strains of top-level football following the Frenchman's heart surgery.
Houllier visited his specialists at Broadgreen cardiotherapy unit in Liverpool this week, and was advised to have at least another month off.
It means a return to work is now not likely until mid-March, leading to speculation that the former France manager is not as well as Liverpool have been saying
But Parry, speaking on BBC Radio Five Live's 'Sportsweek', said: "There's one thing of which there is no doubt, he will be back.
"I think it will be within the time frame that we have consistently spelt out from day one, and I'm not going to be more specific."
He added: "He was wholly involved in the signing of Abel Xavier and Nicolas Anelka, we talk every day, normally several times a day. His presence is felt even if he is not physically with us.
"I said the day after his operation in October that it would be four to six months, it's now three and a half and everything is completely on schedule.
"The operation was a complete success. His aorta is fine, but it takes the body that length of time to recover from a major operation."
AFP