Unai Emery

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Hope Unai's enjoying.. a couple of small glasses a week (max) from Ribera del Duero .

Didn't you once live in Spain, you should know that the Basques drink glasses of wine like shots.

Unai is more demanding of himself when it comes to moderation.

You think? He'd be the first Basque to do so from my experience.

[Dante Lavelli]

Also the local tipple is Txakoli, slightly fizzy. Part of Rioja is in Basque but that’s just a political compromise as it’s the north side of the river.

Love Txakoli..very moorish!

Me too.

Swapping out coaches every few years was a Ferguson tactic.  Whilst the manager remained omnipresent, new coaches added the freshness and new ideas to stop the players getting bored.

Hopefully an indication that he's here for the long run.

[Hookeysmith]

Hopefully an indication that he's here for the long run.

Very good point

[Beard82]

Hopefully an indication that he's here for the long run.

Very good point

Yes - I can buy into that thinking!

[Dogtanian]

Changes to the coaching staff announced;

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/july/02/news-villa-coaching-staff-changes/

Pako Ayestaran and Antonio Rodríguez Saravia GONE, and Jose Maria Sanz IN.

[chrisw1]

I'm a bit surprised about Rodri.  Wasn't he considered to be an excellent one-on-one coach by the players?

[eamonn]

Will miss seeing Pako being ice-cool on the touchline even if he looked a bit like Di Matteo which gave occasional terrible flashbacks of a ghost of Villa's past.

He's not been nicked by a rival, has he? Cov or Derby ok. Liverpool less so.

[Dogtanian]

It feels like it was an internal decision, but who knows. It could just be freshening up, as people have suggested.

[placeforparks]

Pako is in his 60s, probably doesn’t want to be spending his days in the wet and cold of North Warwickshire

[Dogtanian]

Pako is in his 60s, probably doesn’t want to be spending his days in the wet and cold of North Warwickshire

It's a lovely part of the world, I'll have you know!

[paul_e]

I'm a bit surprised about Rodri.  Wasn't he considered to be an excellent one-on-one coach by the players?

Might just have wanted to move on, we'll have to see what happens with replacing him really but I agree he seemed well liked so it is a bit of a shame.

[kippaxvilla2]

Hmm bit concerned by this.