Unai Emery

[PaulWinch again]

He always strikes me as not being too bright.

[thick_mike]

He was an incredible footballer though. Hero as a striker, embarrassment as a man.

[kippaxvilla2]

I do worry about Emery long term though.  It’s our ability to spend or lack thereof.

[walsall villain]

I do worry about Emery long term though.  It’s our ability to spend or lack thereof.

I don’t think he is likely to have a really long stay with us, doesn’t he tend to move on even if successful? Hoping for at least another full season. Already fretting about what happens once he leaves.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I don't think like that at all about this situation and I think it's a waste of energy to do so. He's never been this deeply woven in to a club's structure before, and his family's club linked to us. It's all new. Anything can happen in football, but fuck fretting about it.

[Drummond]

Exactly. There's zero indication of him doing anything but staying and putting his all in.

[Pat Mustard]

Just put this in the Malen thread, but think it is better here.

I do wonder with Emery if that the goal a lot of the time is about rotating players rather than necessarily replacing them with 'better' ones.  As you say, when you are top 3 it is by definition going to be very difficult to replace the players you have with better ones, and we are unlikely to ever be able to carry the size of squad that, say, a Man City are able to simply because of the financial rules put in place to prevent it.

For Unai, it seems to me that his option then is just to be able to change personnel regularly so opponents can never become too comfortable facing us.  He has his core of 7 or 8 who are largely irreplaceable, but then the fringe players become more expendable and subject to rapid turnover.  It's why we utilise the loan market in the way we do, and why we've had a number of players who come in for 1-2 years and are then moved on, on at least a cost neutral basis.

I don't see him being interested in going anywhere at the moment as he really seems to enjoy the challenge - to me, it is almost as if he wants to prove there is a way to beat the current system.

[algy]

I don't think like that at all about this situation and I think it's a waste of energy to do so. He's never been this deeply woven in to a club's structure before, and his family's club linked to us. It's all new. Anything can happen in football, but fuck fretting about it.

Yeah, this exactly. I don’t mean this as Villa exceptionalism, but Emery has perhaps landed himself the perfect gig with us.


I’m not at all concerned about Emery wanting to leave. He has a level of control that’s unheard of elsewhere, and he’s had his fingers burnt often enough to realise that. I don’t think there’s any chance before he’s achieved whatever he wants to achieve with us (which sounds like it’s winning the Champions League), and quite possibly will extend beyond that. He’s already the most successful manager ever in the UEFA Cup. Why not the Champions League too? Why not become the most successful European manager ever (currently Carlo Ancelotti - 5 European Cups, 1 UEFA Cup, 5 Super Cups)? If he feels he can win the Champions League with us, why wouldn’t he then aim for that?

I’m strapped in for a wild ride, I suspect he will be too as long as we don’t clip his wings (which I don’t think will happen).

[Baldy]

I don't think like that at all about this situation and I think it's a waste of energy to do so. He's never been this deeply woven in to a club's structure before, and his family's club linked to us. It's all new. Anything can happen in football, but fuck fretting about it.

Yeah, this exactly. I don’t mean this as Villa exceptionalism, but Emery has perhaps landed himself the perfect gig with us.


I’m not at all concerned about Emery wanting to leave. He has a level of control that’s unheard of elsewhere, and he’s had his fingers burnt often enough to realise that. I don’t think there’s any chance before he’s achieved whatever he wants to achieve with us (which sounds like it’s winning the Champions League), and quite possibly will extend beyond that. He’s already the most successful manager ever in the UEFA Cup. Why not the Champions League too? Why not become the most successful European manager ever (currently Carlo Ancelotti - 5 European Cups, 1 UEFA Cup, 5 Super Cups)? If he feels he can win the Champions League with us, why wouldn’t he then aim for that?

I’m strapped in for a wild ride, I suspect he will be too as long as we don’t clip his wings (which I don’t think will happen).

Whilst the so called 'top 6' are flat racing, Unai is riding the Grand National. Obstacles everywhere.

I agree, the control he has at Villa is unprecedented. He is running the show. I reckon the Harvey Elliot deal really pissed him off, doesn't like being told when he can play players.

[Dante Lavelli]

Pat - it’s an interesting theory and could quite possibly be true. Theres definitely anecdotal evidence to support it. The strategy might be to turn a profit in the peripheral players so we can incrementally grow.

It’s up to the players on the edges to try and break through the barrier. Morgan has done it, and maatsen is close.

The challenge will be replacing the five or six core players as they age.

[lovejoy]

His wing are being clipped by the FFP rules though.

[Brazilian Villain]

Why not become the most successful European manager ever (currently Carlo Ancelotti - 5 European Cups, 1 UEFA Cup, 5 Super Cups)? If he feels he can win the Champions League with us, why wouldn’t he then aim for that?

I’m strapped in for a wild ride, I suspect he will be too as long as we don’t clip his wings (which I don’t think will happen).

If he leaves Villa as the most successful manager in European competitions, I might buy him a pint.

[VILLA MOLE]

when is his press conference please ?

[algy]

Why not become the most successful European manager ever (currently Carlo Ancelotti - 5 European Cups, 1 UEFA Cup, 5 Super Cups)? If he feels he can win the Champions League with us, why wouldn’t he then aim for that?

I’m strapped in for a wild ride, I suspect he will be too as long as we don’t clip his wings (which I don’t think will happen).

If he leaves Villa as the most successful manager in European competitions, I might buy him a pint.

It'll come as no surprise that I've been eating a lot of cheese lately.

[Somniloquism]

when is his press conference please ?

Normally 2pm.