Inside Monchi’s Aston Villa exit: Window chaos, financial frustration, and where it leaves Emery
The Spaniard's departure was a shock but not a surprise after a whirlwind few months and a dire start to the season
Monchi’s departure was confirmed on Tuesday, marking three straight days of turmoil. It had started away to Sunderland and a meek 1-1 draw, where Villa had an extra player for more than an hour.
Even before the game, Villa’s need for serenity was scrambled, with the team coach more than 20 minutes late to the stadium. This was a consequence of traffic and the last of Emery’s pre-match analysis meetings overrunning. Time-keeping has not been the Spaniard’s forte, having been an hour late for his pre-match press conference for Bologna on Wednesday.
Sunday’s performance cut Emery deeper than the result itself. It was his frankest press conference, calling his players “lazy” and lacking identity. While other defeats have caused anger — the 1-0 loss away against Club Brugge in the Champions League league phase led to harsh words in the changing room after, with the Spaniard visibly furious, according to three people who were involved that evening — Emery had never repeatedly taken aim at his players publicly.
Those players, naturally, saw his comments. Those close to the dressing room and intermediaries explained it was the topic of conversation among them, players and family members the day after — until news of Monchi’s exit broke late in the evening.
Though it may have been seen as a risk for Emery to go public with his criticism, several sources close to players — speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships — admit it was fair. They pointed to the defending for Wilson Isidor’s equaliser. No Villa shirt challenged Granit Xhaka for the header (see below), which set up the forward.
Speaking at the press conference on Wednesday, defender Ezri Konsa said of Emery’s reaction: “It’s a fair comment. Everyone’s seen the picture and goal. We know it’s not good enough. Here, we try and pride ourselves on playing a high line. (It) is something the boss is trying to install. We didn’t get it right.
When asked whether Emery had relayed that lazy message to the players, Konsa said: “No… the boss isn’t a big speaker, sometimes he keeps himself to himself. As players, we have been in the game for a long time. We know what we need to do, what we have done wrong, and for us on the pitch, it’s up to us to figure it out.”
This is the worst period under Emery, both in form and current mood.
Several sources close to the dressing room understandably insist players are behind the manager, but are suffering a crisis of confidence, especially in attack. Previously, internal frustrations were more centred on the lack of recruitment and its impact over the summer.
Emery always knew a dip would come. It was a testament to him and his coaching staff that it has transpired so late and three years into the project.
In turn, Emery and his closest aides, including Monchi at one point, wanted to build a support network and accrue enough authority to withstand those dips in form. This was done through alignment with the owners and an increased number of Emery’s staff, which spans more than a dozen Spanish employees in his immediate coaching circle, after he added another member to the medical team this summer.
Such foundations have been tested and anything not robust will have to be strengthened. As it turned out, this proved to be Monchi’s position. Among staff and dressing room observers, Monchi’s departure raised more fundamental questions over how Villa are structured and whether his replacement, Olabe, should be as closely aligned to Emery or entirely independent.
Villa’s response, led by co-owner Nassef Sawiris, was to double down on the Emery project. When Emery signed a new five-year contract in May 2024, the leadership group described the manager as a figurehead, amassing the level of power and longevity Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson had at Arsenal and Manchester United, respectively.
“Have to keep Emery happy,” said one recruitment figure, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, this week.
Olabe and Emery’s relationship goes back three decades. In October 1995, they made their debuts for Real Sociedad in the same game against CP Merida. Before Monchi’s arrival as sporting director in the summer of 2023, Olabe was on Villa’s radar. The 57-year-old coached Real Union, Emery’s boyhood club, of which he is now part-owner, during the 2011-12 season.
Plainly, Olabe is a friend and confidante of Emery. Villa’s power structure is unlikely to alter, with Emery having the overarching say on recruitment and all the key footballing decisions. The only difference is that he will be assisted by Olabe instead of Monchi.
