Unai Emery

[Bad English]

"After reading 20 Grauniad articles here, you need to pay if you wish to continue reading. Alternatively, you can wait eight days, when your monthly allowance will reset "

[Sexual Ealing]

"After reading 20 Grauniad articles here, you need to pay if you wish to continue reading. Alternatively, you can wait eight days, when your monthly allowance will reset "

I've never had anything like that when I've been scattered across the globe. All I get is the passive-aggressive 'congratulations, you've read more articles than anyone else, how about paying, you c*nt?' ones.

[ian c.]

I get that on the app, but haven't been blocked if I read in Firefox (android phone).

[purpletrousers]

Lots of love for him here: https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/may/21/premier-league-2023-24-review-our-writers-best-and-worst

Indeed, and rightly so.

One of my favourite paragraphs re: best manager

Unai Emery and Sean Dyche. Emery achieved the only significant new thing in the league this season. He is also understatedly adorable. Dyche did a fantastic job in unprecedented times, with a club in danger of spiralling, while bravely manifesting the middle age man’s right to wear skinny-fit tracksuit bottoms. BR

[edgysatsuma89]

Well he didn't win manager of the season, that bald prick did.

[Toronto Villa]

Funny reading how many non Villa fans are arguing it should have been Emery. Even though Emery himself has publicly stated it should be the winner of the PL.

[Chap]

Funny reading how many non Villa fans are arguing it should have been Emery. Even though Emery himself has publicly stated it should be the winner of the PL.

He doesn’t get many things wrong, but on this occasion he is!

[Dick Edwards]

There’s zero point in having a Manager of the season award if the accolade automatically goes to the manager of the league champions

[Mister E]

Well he didn't win manager of the season, that bald prick did.

That's fcuking mental ... we'll just have to win the league next season!

[kippaxvilla2]

Someone I don’t know who was saying that Pep is now better than Ferguson.  I hated the prick but in my view he’s still nowhere near being as good as Ferguson.

[Sexual Ealing]

He's way better.

[Risso]

He's way better.

Very hard to compare in my opinion. Guardiola is probably a more technically gifted coach, but Ferguson was winning Premier League titles over a 20 year period and rebuilt that Manchester United team several times over. Of course Man U spent lots of money, but Guardiola has been the beneficiary of a team owned by one of the richest oil states on earth.

[Drummond]

He's way better.

Very hard to compare in my opinion. Guardiola is probably a more technically gifted coach, but Ferguson was winning Premier League titles over a 20 year period and rebuilt that Manchester United team several times over. Of course Man U spent lots of money, but Guardiola has been the beneficiary of a team owned by one of the richest oil states on earth.

Ferguson worked hard, and evolved and changed, developed players and had to make some sacrifices. He earned his tripes and was successful with Aberdeen before then having to sort out what was a shit Manchester United.

Guardiola has been handed everything he's ever asked for to do with what he wanted. He's been at the richest clubs, with the equivalent of unlimited resource in Spain, Germany and England and at clubs who were already at the top.

I'm pretty sure Ferguson could have had the success that Guardiola has had if he'd had the same resources. The question is over the way the game is played; Guardiola has absolutely been able to implement his vision, because he's had everything to do it but I'm not sure he'd have been as successful had he had limited resources.

[Sexual Ealing]

Fair points both, but you're not factoring in my dislike of Alex Ferguson and, what's even worse than the man himself, the Cult of Alex Ferguson, as practiced by Proper British Football Men.

[Drummond]

Fair points both, but you're not factoring in my dislike of Alex Ferguson and, what's even worse than the man himself, the Cult of Alex Ferguson, as practiced by Proper British Football Men.

Oh don't get me wrong, I don't like him either. But Guardiola? He can royally get fucked; I'm living in the here and now.