Unai Emery

[Footy-Vill]

There’s a good interview with UE on the BT Sport podcast.

Yes, thanks. It's with Journalist Michael Calvin, will give a listen.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery gives Michael Calvin a fascinating insight into why the Basque region is producing so many influential coaches.

Podcast is called
Michael Calvin’s Football People



Link:
https://www.bt.com/sport/podcasts

[Footy-Vill]

I found where Emery began interviewing. It's around 30 minutes into the podcast.
Thanks again, PMc for bringing to attention on H and V.

[villadelph]

Great listen. I'm willing to give Unai as long as it takes. His worth ethic and hunger are something this club hasn't had in decades.

[pauliewalnuts]

Great listen. I'm willing to give Unai as long as it takes. His worth ethic and hunger are something this club hasn't had in decades.

So am I.

He's absolutely a proven top level manager, I'll give him whatever it takes.

[LeonW]

I don't really mind who Gregg supports, his pieces tend to be alright.

I also ... he worded it clumsily, but we've not qualified for Europe for a decade or more and haven't looked much of a force for about 25 years. We haven't been talked about as title contenders for longer than that. We've also spent time in the second tier recently. So 'a club of Villa's stature' ... he's unfortunately probably right there. A terrible indictment on the people who have run the club for the 35 years leading up to 2018, but that is where we are.

Its the suggestion that he should almost be applauded for making the effort whilst he's at the Villa rather than sitting on his arse and going through the motions because we're not worth bothering with. We are a club of stature anyway, just not in recent years as you rightly say. What were Man City before the billions came in, or Chelsea for that matter. I suppose if he was at Tottenham it would be worth it for him, even though they've won less than us in the past 50 years (i think, without researching it!).
I've always thought he's a tit anyway to be honest.

Funny, when I read that line I caught myself thinking that other clubs of similar 'stature' (Spurs, Everton, Newcastle) don't seem to suffer this narrative.  Spurs have acted like a big club since Redknapp got them into the top 4. Everton had that period where they had Ancelotti etc.  Newcastle have in recent years been 'everyone's favourite second team' and now are obviously filthy rich. 

I hope Emery is finally the man to shake this cloak of insignificance off, because there is no reason whatsoever that Villa can't be a massive club globally once again.  We need an identity that respects the history but is not defined by it.

Maybe if we acted like a big club since we last finished in the top 4, the media & world at large would see us as a club with a higher stature.

Absolutely, that's what I was trying to say really.  We've brought it on ourselves to a large degree through a prolonged period of average / shit results.

It’s difficult to find one aspect of our operation that would define us as a big club.

The Websit, transport,catering merchandise ,ticket scheme ,access to the ground, hospitality, marketing , communications. That’s before you look at what happens on the footballing side, allowing a 4th division team to knock us out the cup at home, surrendering leads under the slightest bit of pressure, pissing money up the wall on on journeymen  and once in a lifetime pay cheques. Big club?

1000% agree with you on this, Chicago. Throw in the ridiculous gambling sponsorship, letting Arsenal knobhead TV film at VP last Saturday, selling players without adequately replacing them, consistently losing our best players and not having won a trophy since 1996 (not counting the Play off). Doesn’t speak to me of a big club mentality.

[TonyD]

All Emery has to do is stop the players making stupid mistakes and we would win the league by Christmas. 

[Nunkin1965]

Great listen. I'm willing to give Unai as long as it takes. His worth ethic and hunger are something this club hasn't had in decades.

So am I.

He's absolutely a proven top level manager, I'll give him whatever it takes.

Yes same here.
I'm excited to see what the future holds with a proven manager like Emery in charge.

[Hookeysmith]

Great listen. I'm willing to give Unai as long as it takes. His worth ethic and hunger are something this club hasn't had in decades.

So am I.

He's absolutely a proven top level manager, I'll give him whatever it takes.

Yes same here.
I'm excited to see what the future holds with a proven manager like Emery in charge.

Everything hinges on a successful summer transfer window. If the club does not get him every player he wants then his will be another tenure wasted

[Clampy]

Great listen. I'm willing to give Unai as long as it takes. His worth ethic and hunger are something this club hasn't had in decades.

So am I.

He's absolutely a proven top level manager, I'll give him whatever it takes.

Yes same here.
I'm excited to see what the future holds with a proven manager like Emery in charge.

Everything hinges on a successful summer transfer window. If the club does not get him every player he wants then his will be another tenure wasted

It's very possible he might not get every player he wants for lots of reasons.

[villadelph]

Great listen. I'm willing to give Unai as long as it takes. His worth ethic and hunger are something this club hasn't had in decades.

So am I.

He's absolutely a proven top level manager, I'll give him whatever it takes.

Yes same here.
I'm excited to see what the future holds with a proven manager like Emery in charge.

Everything hinges on a successful summer transfer window. If the club does not get him every player he wants then his will be another tenure wasted

Even on the podcast though, he says it himself that he often gets the most out of clubs aren't that hellbent on spending hundreds of millions. He kind of brushed off PSG with Neymar and Mbappe, by saying like, "yeah, okay that was that.." He wasn't building a football club or a culture there, instead, they just bought supreme talent and had to make it mesh. He seemed to prefer the 15-20m player that could be molded and still had something to prove. And my lord, the personal responsibility the man puts on himself to lead the club.. so refreshing.

He clearly wants to build his ideal scenario and I trust him to do it here.

[ldavfc4eva]

I hope he gets all the players he wants, if ever there was a manger in our history who deserves backing it’s Unai.

In terms of his pedigree I would hope that the board back him to the full.

We will finish where we are now IMO, so similar to Deano’s second season, we need a few £30+ signings to help us get to the next level.

[Footy-Vill]

I hope he gets all the players he wants, if ever there was a manger in our history who deserves backing it’s Unai.

In terms of his pedigree I would hope that the board back him to the full.

We will finish where we are now IMO, so similar to Deano’s second season, we need a few £30+ signings to help us get to the next level.

He'll need a few quality upgrades but perhaps Unai won't have to spend big  fees on all signings.
As we did with Bouba Kamara, I believe we could make use of the out of contract option. Marcus Thuram joining on a free transfer would be a joy.
I can imagine Asensio, who is out of contract at Real, is another who would be spoken of.

[LeonW]

I hope he gets all the players he wants, if ever there was a manger in our history who deserves backing it’s Unai.

In terms of his pedigree I would hope that the board back him to the full.

We will finish where we are now IMO, so similar to Deano’s second season, we need a few £30+ signings to help us get to the next level.

He'll need a few quality upgrades but perhaps Unai won't have to spend big  fees on all signings.
As we did with Bouba Kamara, I believe we could make use of the out of contract option. Marcus Thuram joining on a free transfer would be a joy.
I can imagine Asensio, who is out of contract at Real, is another who would be spoken of.

Asensio is the profile of player I think we should be staying away from. Thurman would be a decent signing but I think he’ll have much better options.

[Beard82]

Great listen. I'm willing to give Unai as long as it takes. His worth ethic and hunger are something this club hasn't had in decades.

So am I.

He's absolutely a proven top level manager, I'll give him whatever it takes.

I think it’s far more likely we fail him, then he fails us.

Not suggesting either will happen - but we need to iron out the mistakes at every level of the club as there too frequent for the aims we are targeting

[ChicagoLion]

I don't really mind who Gregg supports, his pieces tend to be alright.

I also ... he worded it clumsily, but we've not qualified for Europe for a decade or more and haven't looked much of a force for about 25 years. We haven't been talked about as title contenders for longer than that. We've also spent time in the second tier recently. So 'a club of Villa's stature' ... he's unfortunately probably right there. A terrible indictment on the people who have run the club for the 35 years leading up to 2018, but that is where we are.

Its the suggestion that he should almost be applauded for making the effort whilst he's at the Villa rather than sitting on his arse and going through the motions because we're not worth bothering with. We are a club of stature anyway, just not in recent years as you rightly say. What were Man City before the billions came in, or Chelsea for that matter. I suppose if he was at Tottenham it would be worth it for him, even though they've won less than us in the past 50 years (i think, without researching it!).
I've always thought he's a tit anyway to be honest.

Funny, when I read that line I caught myself thinking that other clubs of similar 'stature' (Spurs, Everton, Newcastle) don't seem to suffer this narrative.  Spurs have acted like a big club since Redknapp got them into the top 4. Everton had that period where they had Ancelotti etc.  Newcastle have in recent years been 'everyone's favourite second team' and now are obviously filthy rich. 

I hope Emery is finally the man to shake this cloak of insignificance off, because there is no reason whatsoever that Villa can't be a massive club globally once again.  We need an identity that respects the history but is not defined by it.

Maybe if we acted like a big club since we last finished in the top 4, the media & world at large would see us as a club with a higher stature.

Absolutely, that's what I was trying to say really.  We've brought it on ourselves to a large degree through a prolonged period of average / shit results.

It’s difficult to find one aspect of our operation that would define us as a big club.

The Websit, transport,catering merchandise ,ticket scheme ,access to the ground, hospitality, marketing , communications. That’s before you look at what happens on the footballing side, allowing a 4th division team to knock us out the cup at home, surrendering leads under the slightest bit of pressure, pissing money up the wall on on journeymen  and once in a lifetime pay cheques. Big club?

1000% agree with you on this, Chicago. Throw in the ridiculous gambling sponsorship, letting Arsenal knobhead TV film at VP last Saturday, selling players without adequately replacing them, consistently losing our best players and not having won a trophy since 1996 (not counting the Play off). Doesn’t speak to me of a big club mentality.

And why we remain in denial nothing will change.