New Aston Villa manager Remi Garde has revealed that he rejected an approach from another Premier League club before agreeing to take over at Villa Park.
Garde, who quit after three years as manager of Lyon last summer, was officially unveiled as Tim Sherwood's replacement at Villa on Monday, hours before the club's 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
The 49-year-old, who won the French Cup in 2012 while with the Ligue 1 club, was previously linked with the Newcastle United job before Steve McClaren took over, and although he did not name the Magpies he admitted that he had previously turned down the opportunity to come to the Premier League.
"Yes I did [receive an offer]," he said at his first press conference as Villa boss on Thursday. "But I said no because the previous one, the serious one, was in a period when I was not ready to start again.
"There is a lot of work to do [at Villa] but I was not disappointed with the players. Football is about scoring goals and not conceding so we need to find a good balance.
"We started already in the last two training sessions, it is a new start for the team. Each manager has his own view of football. I am going to try to do my best with my views."
Garde faces the toughest of tasks in his first match as Villa manager as table-toppers Manchester City travel to Villa Park on Sunday to face the Premier League's bottom club.
Tom Nightingale
