Unai Emery

[aldridgeboy]

I see they’ve written “ Aston Villa ARE  thrilled to announce …”

Common sense at last 😀

[SaddVillan]

John Percy on The Torygraph.

Unai's triggered a 12 month extension. Discussions to follow over a longer extension/new contract .

Unai Emery can be Aston Villa’s Sir Alex Ferguson – instead of following him
A one-year option will keep Emery at Villa Park until 2027 as the club eyes to build on its astounding progress over last 18 months

John Percy
23 April 2024 • 1:51pm

Unai Emery is on the brink of leading Aston Villa to the Champions League and will now be asked to build a legacy to become the club’s version of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Emery has triggered a one-year option to his current contract until 2027 as ambitious owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens move to keep the highly-rated Basque cocach at Villa Park.

Sawiris and Edens have driven the decision to discuss new terms with Emery, with further negotiations planned for the summer over a lucrative, long-term deal.

NSWE want to offer Emery the platform to lead the club towards an even brighter future, with regular excursions in the Champions League regarded as just the start.

The huge commitment to Emery is viewed as essential and deserved, after a remarkable transformation in 18 months.

With European heavyweights including Bayern Munich and Manchester United likely to be searching for new managers this summer, there have been initial fears that Emery could be lured away.

Yet that rather overlooks the fact that the 52-year-old has almost complete control at the former European Cup winners, from the boardroom to the data analysts in the stands.

Rival managers look on at Emery with envy, as it is now so rare for any club to afford such power to their managers.

The triangle of Emery, president of football operations Monchi and Damian Vidagany, the director of football operations, is a tight group with big ideas.

Emery’s powerbase evokes memories of Ferguson at Manchester United, who built a legacy of footballing brilliance that will probably never be repeated.

Villa are the favourites to win the Europa Conference League trophy this season, while finishing in the top-four remains tantalisingly in their grasp.

The win over Bournemouth on Sunday extended their lead in fourth place over Tottenham to six points, with four games left to play.

They have achieved many impressive results, including the double over Emery’s former club Arsenal and victory over champions Manchester City.

Emery’s success this season deserves even more recognition as he has battled against a severe injury crisis.

He operates with a “no-excuses” culture but the number of injuries have rather gone under the radar.

England international Tyrone Mings and former record signing Emiliano Buendia have missed the entire season.

Boubacar Kamara, arguably their most underrated player, has been out since February and is not expected back until later this year.

Jacob Ramsey was regarded as a genuine contender for Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad last year, but has endured a campaign plagued by injuries.

At various points in the season, Emery has also been without Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres and Matty Cash.

Yet Emery has never complained and absent players are not used as a reason for underachievement. It is quite the opposite to Erik ten Hag at United, who has constantly bemoaned the lack of available players.

Summer targets
Next week Villa will prepare for their first European semi-final in 42 years when they face Olympiacos over two legs.

Beyond that, preparations for the summer are already underway.

Villa do have concerns over complying with Profitability and Sustainability Rules [PSR] and there may be some uncomfortable decisions needed ahead of the transfer window.

Indeed, it is understood that Villa have been one of the louder voices in Premier League board meetings in opposition to the current regulations that they feel stifle ambition.

Emery is targeting two centre-midfielders [one holding midfielder and the other a box-to-box], wingers and a centre forward in the unlikely event of leading scorer Ollie Watkins leaving for a huge transfer fee.

Villa will travel to the United States for pre-season, and play friendlies against Columbus Crew and Club America. Talks have been held with both RB Leipzig and Club Brugge over another possible friendly.

Emery’s squad will also face Champions League semi-finalists Borussia Dortmund in early August and, potentially, Athletic Bilbao.

Yet the main topic of interest for Villa’s fans will be the new contract for Emery, which should be signed off before the start of the season.

Villa have been an emerging force since Emery’s arrival in November 2022, but this could just be the beginning of a glorious new era.

[PeterWithesShin]

I love him

Ambition already is, and must always be, the motto of this project.

[Dogtanian]

So it sounds like it was already an option in his existing contract, and the great man Himself has triggered it.

Makes sense then that there is going to be a negotiation and new contract in the summer. He absolutely deserves it.

[Brazilian Villain]

Villa will travel to the United States for pre-season, and play friendlies against Columbus Crew and Club America. Talks have been held with both RB Leipzig and Club Brugge over another possible friendly.

Emery’s squad will also face Champions League semi-finalists Borussia Dortmund in early August and, potentially, Athletic Bilbao.

Hello, we may yet get a trip to Blibao, even if we're in the Champions League.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Now official.

Aston Villa are thrilled to announce head coach Unai Emery has agreed to a contract extension until 2027.

The Spaniard has transformed the club since his appointment in October 2022 and immediately guided Villa to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League having occupied 17th position at the time of his arrival.

The 52-year-old therefore led the club to European qualification for the first time since 2010 and has continued to build on that platform in his first full season at the helm.

The club are currently on pace to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League while Emery’s wealth of experience on the continental stage has also guided us to a first European semi-final in 42 years.

Emery said: “We are enjoying our way together with Villa fans, the club owners, management and this great group of players that we are proud of.

“Me and the football management… we share the vision of the owners. Nassef [Sawiris] and Wes [Edens] are very supportive and respectful, and we have a good environment and the right structure to develop this football club.

“We must maintain the hard-working spirit, clever decisions and coordination with the ownership that we have found during this time. We will work to get better and better. And we will demand from each other. Ambition already is, and must always be, the motto of this project.”

Chairman Nassef Sawiris said: “We are thrilled and are building a sporting operation around Unai to support him with a view of returning Aston Villa, a co-founder of the English Football League as we prepare to celebrate our 150th anniversary, to its historic levels of greatness.”

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/april/23/unai-emery-agrees-contract-extension/

[Nev]

I never get too excited about contract extensions/new contracts for player or Managers, they soon get broken if either party is unhappy.

But as a statement of intent, this is fantastic news, and brilliantly timed.

[The Man With A Stick]

Massive boost for players more than anything, they must love playing for him.

[tomd2103]

Did say...

https://x.com/talkSPORT/status/1779917607388447009

Well if Carlsberg made wankers he’d be the template

He is the ManU fan template...

Can't stand listening to him on the radio.  He's the embodiment of the worst of football coverage in this country.  Might be wrong, but he gives the impression that he's a thoroughly unpleasant, sneering person off-air as well.

[Drummond]

Massive boost for players more than anything, they must love playing for him.

And any potential new signings too. It makes us far more attractive.

[LeeB]

Did say...

https://x.com/talkSPORT/status/1779917607388447009

Well if Carlsberg made wankers he’d be the template

He is the ManU fan template...

Can't stand listening to him on the radio.  He's the embodiment of the worst of football coverage in this country.  Might be wrong, but he gives the impression that he's a thoroughly unpleasant, sneering person off-air as well.

He was in an advert years ago sneering at another fan for having last seasons shirt on.

The casting agent must have felt he was perfect for the role.

[tomd2103]

Great news and reading that Percy article, two potentially great pre-season trips, if they are away, to Dortmund and Bilbao.

[john e]

He doesn’t do that walking over to the fans applauding at the end of games none of that Klop like fist pumping in front of the Holte or away fans when it’s all over
We never sing Unai give us a wave because we just know we won’t be getting one
At the end of the match it’s a quick handshake with the opposition bench and a swift walk back towards the tunnel
He is a true gentleman always acts with utter class and never moans about injuries or decisions or even too many games

And yet the connection he has with the Villa fans is incredible, he celebrates goals like a supporter, in every post match interview he mentions the fans first and how important they are to the team, he’s simply the Best and we love him

It does help that he is a football genius and we are on the best run We’ve had for a couple of decades or more
But there really is no one like him

[Paul.S]

Did say...

https://x.com/talkSPORT/status/1779917607388447009

Well if Carlsberg made wankers he’d be the template

He is the ManU fan template...

Can't stand listening to him on the radio.  He's the embodiment of the worst of football coverage in this country.  Might be wrong, but he gives the impression that he's a thoroughly unpleasant, sneering person off-air as well.

Is this the London Manure fan who never goes, even when it’s at Wembley?
I can understand why he’d go down well with the listeners on that station. The font of all knowledge according to himself.

[Paul.S]

Regarding our fantastic coach, that’s a proper slap in the face to Talkshite and Sky who’ve been frantically trying to flog him to one of their clubs. It’s also a massive boost to us because he is simply world class.