SOCCER:KEVIN MacDONALD will oversee his final game as Aston Villa's caretaker manager against Bolton Wanderers today before handing over control of a team that he believes has the potential to "go places" if Gerard Houllier can harness their talent.

Houllier will be watching from the stand at Villa Park before formally taking over as manager on Monday after finally coming to an agreement with the French Football Federation over the terms of his release from his position as technical director.

The Frenchman has spoken to MacDonald on a daily basis since Monday’s defeat by Stoke City and he could visit the dressing room after the Bolton match.

MacDonald, however, has been given responsibility for picking the side and, before his last match as caretaker, he has extolled the strengths of the squad Houllier will inherit, including the promising academy graduates he has selected.

“There’s a lot to be excited about around here,” MacDonald said. “There is a young, vibrant squad allied to some very, very good senior professionals. If he can manage that and bring them forward, the club is going to go places.”

Villa are hoping that Gary McAllister, Middlesbrough’s first-team coach, will be alongside Houllier for the League Cup tie against Blackburn on Wednesday. Villa and Middlesbrough are discussing compensation for McAllister, who has made it clear he would like to join Houllier in the Midlands.

MacDonald was offered the chance to work with Houllier, although he said yesterday that one of the reasons he declined the opportunity was because “when managers come in they should have their own staff”.

It has emerged, however, that Houllier did not ask MacDonald if he wanted to be his assistant and instead offered him a position that came without a specific title and was more of an administrative role, something that would not have appealed to the Scot, who is happiest coaching.

MacDonald, who will return to his post as reserve-team manager next week, has yet to make a decision about staying with Villa in the long term. He was “disappointed” to be overlooked for the manager’s position but believes his time as caretaker has helped to change his profile.

“For me to have an interview for a manager’s job at this football club, alongside Gerard Houllier, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Alan Curbishley, that’s a pretty big step I’ve taken in six or seven weeks.”