Unai Emery

[RamboandBruno]

Reminds me a bit of O'Neill's first season, his hands had been tied a bit regarding shaping the squad because of the takeover and he had to wring what he could out of the existing squad. We struggled and results were up and down until a bit of a late flourish, I think we'll see the same with a late run pushing us top ten as the team better adapts to his methods.

Sheff Utd at home on the last day, 3-0, absolutely danced around them and Ashley Young was completely unplayable. Gave real hope for the following season but then a few of the summer signings raised a bit of an eyebrow and not in a good way.

I thought it was Paddy Berger who was unplayable that day. We still fcuked him off that summer though.

Berger was amazing that day.  It was the Euro parade and also the first time Ron Saunders came back.  It was also the day Randy gave us all a "Proud History, Bright Future" scarf.  I still wear it and I'm still waiting........

But I think this fella will get us there and like others have said, I'm willing to give him all the time he needs.

Are you sure Saunders was there?

I definitely remember him on the pitch and waving prior to a match against Man United, and that it was his first time back in ages.

I might be getting confused mind

Yes Saunders was there v Man U in the December.  It was the players (and I think close reletives of Tony Barton IIRC) before the Sheffield United game.

Saunders was defo there against Sheff Utd in 07. The other thing I remember is they were scrapping to stay up, possibly under Warnock and they fancied their chances, but I’m sure Warnock (or whoever the manager was) said afterwards, as soon as we paraded the European Cup winning team and the crowd were going nuts, he knew it was going to be an uphill struggle.

Im sure Sheff Utd could still stay up though and the week after was the whole Tevez scoring for West Ham issue.

[Toronto Villa]

Just listening to the press conference this morning and it strikes how much better Unai’s English has become in the past few months. Having to speak it every day helps of course but I’m sure it will be beneficial all round to him, his staff and the players.

[Mister E]

Just listening to the press conference this morning and it strikes how much better Unai’s English has become in the past few months. Having to speak it every day helps of course but I’m sure it will be beneficial all round to him, his staff and the players.

I thought the plan was that everyone at the club will be speaking Spanish?!

[Duncan Shaw]

Reminds me a bit of O'Neill's first season, his hands had been tied a bit regarding shaping the squad because of the takeover and he had to wring what he could out of the existing squad. We struggled and results were up and down until a bit of a late flourish, I think we'll see the same with a late run pushing us top ten as the team better adapts to his methods.

Sheff Utd at home on the last day, 3-0, absolutely danced around them and Ashley Young was completely unplayable. Gave real hope for the following season but then a few of the summer signings raised a bit of an eyebrow and not in a good way.

I thought it was Paddy Berger who was unplayable that day. We still fcuked him off that summer though.

Berger was amazing that day.  It was the Euro parade and also the first time Ron Saunders came back.  It was also the day Randy gave us all a "Proud History, Bright Future" scarf.  I still wear it and I'm still waiting........

But I think this fella will get us there and like others have said, I'm willing to give him all the time he needs.

Are you sure Saunders was there?

I definitely remember him on the pitch and waving prior to a match against Man United, and that it was his first time back in ages.

I might be getting confused mind

Yes Saunders was there v Man U in the December.  It was the players (and I think close reletives of Tony Barton IIRC) before the Sheffield United game.

Saunders was defo there against Sheff Utd in 07. The other thing I remember is they were scrapping to stay up, possibly under Warnock and they fancied their chances, but I’m sure Warnock (or whoever the manager was) said afterwards, as soon as we paraded the European Cup winning team and the crowd were going nuts, he knew it was going to be an uphill struggle.

Im sure Sheff Utd could still stay up though and the week after was the whole Tevez scoring for West Ham issue.

Yeah defo there - I made sure me and my 7 year old lad were in early to see it all.  I recall there was a LOT of dust in the air which got in my eyes when I saw him and them out on the pitch. 

My poor lad, he's 23 now and only just seen us beat Man U at home for the first time in his life!!

[Toronto Villa]

Just listening to the press conference this morning and it strikes how much better Unai’s English has become in the past few months. Having to speak it every day helps of course but I’m sure it will be beneficial all round to him, his staff and the players.

I thought the plan was that everyone at the club will be speaking Spanish?!

oh yeh...it's all an act. He'd probably telling all the non Spanish speaking players in better English to fuck off so he can bring in the armada

[LeeB]

Just listening to the press conference this morning and it strikes how much better Unai’s English has become in the past few months. Having to speak it every day helps of course but I’m sure it will be beneficial all round to him, his staff and the players.

I thought the plan was that everyone at the club will be speaking Spanish?!

oh yeh...it's all an act. He'd probably telling all the non Spanish speaking players in better English to fuck off so he can bring in the armada

No chance, they've knocked it down and built a bloody petrol station on it.

[Allan C]

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.

Absolutely spot on. Every point you both make is correct, particularly the “selling players without adequately replacing them, losing our best players”.

[Toronto Villa]

Just listening to the press conference this morning and it strikes how much better Unai’s English has become in the past few months. Having to speak it every day helps of course but I’m sure it will be beneficial all round to him, his staff and the players.

I thought the plan was that everyone at the club will be speaking Spanish?!

oh yeh...it's all an act. He'd probably telling all the non Spanish speaking players in better English to fuck off so he can bring in the armada

No chance, they've knocked it down and built a bloody petrol station on it.

bloody hell Lee, The Armada. That takes me back a bit. So it's gone is it?

[Toronto Villa]

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.

Absolutely spot on. Every point you both make is correct, particularly the “selling players without adequately replacing them, losing our best players”.

not replacing our best players adequately doesn't make us a small club. It makes a poorly run one. Most clubs don't do a good job of replacing their best players or managers. The very few that do are successful or have the finances to spend through and mask their failures. As this is the Emery thread, manager's of his world standing don't leave their very secure jobs mid season to join small clubs. They do it for big opportunities at big clubs where the chance to do something special is presented to them. He wasn't doing what he did to join Palace or Southampton.

[LeeB]

Just listening to the press conference this morning and it strikes how much better Unai’s English has become in the past few months. Having to speak it every day helps of course but I’m sure it will be beneficial all round to him, his staff and the players.

I thought the plan was that everyone at the club will be speaking Spanish?!

oh yeh...it's all an act. He'd probably telling all the non Spanish speaking players in better English to fuck off so he can bring in the armada

No chance, they've knocked it down and built a bloody petrol station on it.

bloody hell Lee, The Armada. That takes me back a bit. So it's gone is it?

Yes, been a few years now

[Percy McCarthy]

Reminds me a bit of O'Neill's first season, his hands had been tied a bit regarding shaping the squad because of the takeover and he had to wring what he could out of the existing squad. We struggled and results were up and down until a bit of a late flourish, I think we'll see the same with a late run pushing us top ten as the team better adapts to his methods.

Sheff Utd at home on the last day, 3-0, absolutely danced around them and Ashley Young was completely unplayable. Gave real hope for the following season but then a few of the summer signings raised a bit of an eyebrow and not in a good way.

I thought it was Paddy Berger who was unplayable that day. We still fcuked him off that summer though.

Berger was amazing that day.  It was the Euro parade and also the first time Ron Saunders came back.  It was also the day Randy gave us all a "Proud History, Bright Future" scarf.  I still wear it and I'm still waiting........

But I think this fella will get us there and like others have said, I'm willing to give him all the time he needs.

Are you sure Saunders was there?

I definitely remember him on the pitch and waving prior to a match against Man United, and that it was his first time back in ages.

I might be getting confused mind

Yes Saunders was there v Man U in the December.  It was the players (and I think close reletives of Tony Barton IIRC) before the Sheffield United game.

Saunders was defo there against Sheff Utd in 07. The other thing I remember is they were scrapping to stay up, possibly under Warnock and they fancied their chances, but I’m sure Warnock (or whoever the manager was) said afterwards, as soon as we paraded the European Cup winning team and the crowd were going nuts, he knew it was going to be an uphill struggle.

Im sure Sheff Utd could still stay up though and the week after was the whole Tevez scoring for West Ham issue.

Yeah defo there - I made sure me and my 7 year old lad were in early to see it all.  I recall there was a LOT of dust in the air which got in my eyes when I saw him and them out on the pitch. 

My poor lad, he's 23 now and only just seen us beat Man U at home for the first time in his life!!

Sorry lads. Saunders defo wasn’t there against Sheffield Utd.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Sorry lads. Saunders defo wasn’t there against Sheffield Utd.

I'm looking at a photo of him standing next to Sid on the pitch both wearing 'Proud History' scarves.

[PeterWithesShin]

Sorry lads. Saunders defo wasn’t there against Sheffield Utd.

[Percy McCarthy]

I stand corrected.

[eamonn]

Is Eamonn Deacy there? He was the first to pass on, I think.