‘Emery has brought that spark and belief back to Aston Villa – he had a lot to prove after the way things ended at Arsenal, but he has dealt with it and delivered’: Former Villain discusses qualities of Spanish manager
Unai Emery has completely transformed Aston Villa - and one former Villain highlights how he's managed to do it
Unai Emery has worked wonders since taking over at Aston Villa in October 2022, helping turn the club's fortunes around in rapid time.
Replacing Steven Gerrard at Villa Park, Emery arrived in Birmingham having to ensure that Villa, first and foremost, weren't relegated from the Premier League. He swiftly turned things around, and in 2023/24 got his side playing exceptional football as they secured Champions League qualification for the current campaign.
Dwight Yorke played 287 matches in eight years at the club, scoring 98 times before his big-money move to Manchester United in 1998. For the Trinidadian, Emery has managed to turn his reputation in England around with the work he has produced at Villa - with things only look up in the east Midlands right now.
VIDEO: How Arne Slot Just Fixed Liverpool's Biggest Problem Against Milan
“Emery has brought that spark and belief back to Aston Villa,” Yorke exclusively tells FourFourTwo. “He had a lot to prove after the way things ended at Arsenal, but he has shown everyone what a fantastic manager he is when he’s given the time and resources he needs.
"He has redeemed himself in British football. It wasn’t as if Villa was going to be an easy ride, either. There was huge expectation when he arrived, but he has dealt with that and delivered.
“Emery’s main change was a cultural one: building that winning mentality around the club. That also stems from your philosophy – getting players to buy into your system and trust your style of play.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"His style is one that the very top clubs play, so he was essentially telling players that the time had arrived for them to play like a top club. They needed to believe they were capable of that. He built that culture. Recruitment has been fantastic, too: he bought players who clicked quickly and helped to take Villa to the next level.”
Villa have started the new season brightly, too. They've managed three wins from their opening four games in the Premier League, as well as a 3-0 victory over Young Boys in their first Champions League match. Continue this form, and there's no reason why Emery can't keep Villa fighting with Europe's elite - and potentially even a trophy.
More Aston Villa stories
Ranked! Every Premier League 2024/25 kit, from worst to best
Why Aston Villa had to change their shirts for the Champions League
Aston Villa chief reveals surprise name that attracted major transfer attention over the summer
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
‘Arteta, Alonso, Emery, me… none of us were physical players – we needed the understanding of the game. That probably helped us move into management’: Premier League boss reveals reasons for natural career progression
‘England have the players to win the World Cup – it’ll be tough for Thomas Tuchel to do a bad job, with the squad he has at his disposal’ Former Three Lions winger backs new boss after gentle qualifying draw