Unai Emery

[olaftab]

When Unai rushed down the tunnel and got to his office he immediately started prepping for Sunday. He wrote  "De Ligt" on the board and next to that he wrote "Ollie" and he basically burst out laughing uncontrollably for the next 30 mins.

[Drummond]

I see Guillem Balague is writing about Emery and his time with us. Nice.

'Awakening the Giant' as mentioned yesterday.

I blame Wednesday night. Working on fumes the last couple of days.

[Footy-Vill]

Since Unai Emery took the Aston Villa job, only Man City (85), Liverpool (84) & Arsenal (81) have taken more Premier League points at home. Villa 74pts.
Emery has a 66% win rate at Villa Park.

[john2710]

What he, his team & the players have achieved in under 2 years is remarkable. Beyond anybody's wildest imagination when he arrived. It's also been achieved with the exceptionally bad luck of major injuries to key players. But Emery is not a man to use excuses.

Anything is possible over the next few years.

[JD]

I think he will if/when we win something.

As big as it is to us, and as much as it clearly does mean a lot to him, for Unai, beating Bayern Munich is just another match.

We've been starved of success for so long that we've come to accept avoiding relegation, getting beaten in a cup final every five years and beating our pygmy local 'rivals' as great times.

Emery is exactly what we've needed. A manager who, if we're being brutally honest, was too good for the job he took on. But he bought into it and, I think, fell in love with the club.

Now, within two years, and thanks to him, managing Aston Villa is a job that is worthy of his talent and abilities. He is not interested in losing cup finals, staying up on the last day, beating Small Heath on the rare occasion they manage to get into the same division as us, asking Wolves how that gap is looking, or... well, anything to do with West Brom.

A one-off victory against one of the biggest clubs in the world barely registers for him.

He is looking upwards. I'm not predicting or suggesting we should expect anything like this, but I am 100% confident that Unai believes he can win the league and the Champions League with Villa.

It may all end in tears, who knows, but from what we've seen so far - would you bet against him?

Brilliant post Rory. You've summed it up perfectly.

[Rory]

I think he will if/when we win something.

As big as it is to us, and as much as it clearly does mean a lot to him, for Unai, beating Bayern Munich is just another match.

We've been starved of success for so long that we've come to accept avoiding relegation, getting beaten in a cup final every five years and beating our pygmy local 'rivals' as great times.

Emery is exactly what we've needed. A manager who, if we're being brutally honest, was too good for the job he took on. But he bought into it and, I think, fell in love with the club.

Now, within two years, and thanks to him, managing Aston Villa is a job that is worthy of his talent and abilities. He is not interested in losing cup finals, staying up on the last day, beating Small Heath on the rare occasion they manage to get into the same division as us, asking Wolves how that gap is looking, or... well, anything to do with West Brom.

A one-off victory against one of the biggest clubs in the world barely registers for him.

He is looking upwards. I'm not predicting or suggesting we should expect anything like this, but I am 100% confident that Unai believes he can win the league and the Champions League with Villa.

It may all end in tears, who knows, but from what we've seen so far - would you bet against him?

Brilliant post Rory. You've summed it up perfectly.

Thanks JD.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

This might be the most candid interview I have ever heard Unai give. Every point is bang on.

https://x.com/marchmist/status/1841802282192589085?s=46

*its AI but still very good

Indeed, very funny. By the next decade we'll have an AI Centre Forward.

[LeeB]

I think he will if/when we win something.

As big as it is to us, and as much as it clearly does mean a lot to him, for Unai, beating Bayern Munich is just another match.

We've been starved of success for so long that we've come to accept avoiding relegation, getting beaten in a cup final every five years and beating our pygmy local 'rivals' as great times.

Emery is exactly what we've needed. A manager who, if we're being brutally honest, was too good for the job he took on. But he bought into it and, I think, fell in love with the club.

Now, within two years, and thanks to him, managing Aston Villa is a job that is worthy of his talent and abilities. He is not interested in losing cup finals, staying up on the last day, beating Small Heath on the rare occasion they manage to get into the same division as us, asking Wolves how that gap is looking, or... well, anything to do with West Brom.

A one-off victory against one of the biggest clubs in the world barely registers for him.

He is looking upwards. I'm not predicting or suggesting we should expect anything like this, but I am 100% confident that Unai believes he can win the league and the Champions League with Villa.

It may all end in tears, who knows, but from what we've seen so far - would you bet against him?

Brilliant post Rory. You've summed it up perfectly.

Yeah good stuff.

[Ads]

He's got a side in the Champions League, looking like they belong there, after 23 months. He's a genius.

I always felt winning the European Cup was just a dream. It might not be this season, it likely won't be, but we will win it again under him.

[LeeB]

He's got a side in the Champions League, looking like they belong there, after 23 months. He's a genius.

I always felt winning the European Cup was just a dream. It might not be this season, it likely won't be, but we will win it again under him.

He's doing what I've been doing in Championship/ Football Manager for years, for real.

It's surreal.

[PaulWinch again]

Will win it is a bit of a stretch. The fact we’re in it is incredible, if he ever won it with us it would be remarkable.

[Drummond]

He's got a side in the Champions League, looking like they belong there, after 23 months. He's a genius.

I always felt winning the European Cup was just a dream. It might not be this season, it likely won't be, but we will win it again under him.

He's doing what I've been doing in Championship/ Football Manager for years, for real.

It's surreal.

It's so real.

[Footy-Vill]

Unai Emery was one of the nominated managers for September Premier league manager of the month but it was awarded to Maresca at Chelsea.

[LeeB]

Well fuck me sideways, I'd never have known that otherwise, thanks.

[Footy-Vill]

Well fuck me sideways, I'd never have known that otherwise, thanks.

Yes it wasn't much discussed here regards his nomination but thought highlight.
Similarly I brought the news on Watkins for player of the month.
In these instances it's good having recognition even if not winning award out right.