Unai Emery has been appointed as the new Aston Villa manager, replacing Steven Gerrard. Without meaning to disparage the ex-Liverpool midfielder, it is quite the upgrade in terms of managerial experience and tactical acumen. Gerrard struggled to define a clear style of play at Villa Park while Emery has won trophies in Spain and France with well-schooled, counter-attacking sides. It is a move that might cause some Premier League-centric fans to scratch their heads, but Emery taking the reins at Villa makes perfect sense.
Emery is remembered in England for two things. His failure to steer Arsenal through the choppy waters of post-Arsene Wenger life and the memes stemming from his pronunciation of “good evening”. Neither memory is an entirely fair reflection of the 50-year-old’s abilities.
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The memes were more akin to the Mike Tyson “Theritouthly?” stuff than anything pointedly xenophobic. But they still represent the reductive way that English football categorises its managers. Tim Sherwood’s gilet. Marcelo Bielsa’s bucket. Nigel Pearson’s ostrich. Even Jurgen Klopp was Mr Baseball Cap and Hugs until his Liverpool side entered a golden era.
The online mirth-making was no fault of Emery’s, but he must take at least partial responsibility for his Arsenal failings. His spell is not as rotten as is remembered. The record-breaking four-time Europa League winner steered the Gunners as far as the final of that competition. A finish of fifth in his first season was entirely acceptable after the retirement of the towering figure of Arsene Wenger. Manchester United’s plight post-Sir Alex Ferguson, or Sir Matt Busby for that matter, proves that even the biggest clubs splutter when totemic managerial figures move on.
A run of one win in nine games the following season brought an early end to Emery’s tenure. It was the correct call and the Spaniard moved to familiar territory. Having managed Valencia and Sevilla in La Liga, Villarreal felt like a natural next step. The fact he led them to a Europa League win was almost written in the stars. Emery’s strength in that diverse competition proves his innate ability to counteract different styles and approaches. It is a skill he will need at Villa
Another element of Emery’s skillset that should prove useful is his experience managing egos. Villa have spent big during Gerrard’s tenure and now those marquee names aren’t performing. Seven trophies during his two seasons at the emotional powderkeg of Paris Saint-Germain suggests the likes of Philippe Coutinho won’t cause him to lose any sleep.
Emery is underappreciated on these shores. He wilted in the light of Arsenal, but how many coaches could have feasibly bolstered a team shorn of its north star in Wenger? Even under the Frenchman, the Gunners had become something of a cup team. They had also finished fifth in Wenger’s final campaign, the same placing Emery had them in a year later. United regressed without Ferguson, as did Liverpool when the ‘Boot Room’ stopped pumping out Shanklys and Paisleys and started spitting out Souness’ and Evans’. While it fell apart during the second season, Emery’s tenure in North London was no disaster.
The new Villa manager deserves to have his skills reappraised. Emery is a proven trophy-winner. He has implemented a clear and effective on-pitch identity at numerous clubs. The ex-Real Sociedad midfielder has come up against sizable egos and has negotiated a wealth of big games domestically and in Europe. Emery might not get the blood pumping with the English populace in the same way an iconic ex-player like Gerrard did but, as a coach, he is an astonishing upgrade.
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