I’d be shocked if Unai Emery wanted the Man United job – he is adored by Aston Villa fans and the players will run through walls for him, writes DANNY MURPHY
- Boss has the power at Villa that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger once enjoyed
- Emery has full confidence in football directors Monchi and Damian Vidagany
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Managers had ultimate control at the clubs I played for, but I appreciate that the game has evolved. Brighton, for example, sticks to a long-term plan even as head coaches come and go.
Unai Emery is a throwback. He has the power at Aston Villa that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger once enjoyed. Instead of being appointed by those running the football operations, he elected them!
There is no exact science for these things. I’m not sure if other clubs will follow the Villa way, but it works for them, as the win over Bayern Munich proved.
There couldn’t be a greater contrast between Villa’s upward trajectory and Sunday’s opponents, Manchester United.
If Erik ten Hag is fired, would Emery be tempted to replace him? I would be stunned if he did that, especially if he felt he would have less influence at Old Trafford than he does now.
Unai Emery is a throwback. Instead of being appointed by those running the football operations, he elected them!
He has the power at Aston Villa that Sir Alex Ferguson (photo) once enjoyed at Man United
Managers had ultimate control at the clubs I played for, but I appreciate that the game has evolved
It is clear from the way Villa conducts business that Emery has full confidence in football executives Monchi and Damian Vidagany, with whom he has worked previously.
They are partners rather than having a chain of command. Emery has power, but he clearly doesn’t use it to be a tyrant or dictator.
You can tell from Villa’s recruitment that he likes to take advice on players and back his coaching to improve them. He wouldn’t have known much about Jaden Philogene, Morgan Rogers or even Ross Barkley, but they fit in seamlessly.
It was a risk for Villa owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris to hand Emery and his close-knit group the keys to the football operation.
That doesn’t always work – Liverpool seemed to regress the more authority Rafa Benitez gained – but the relationship Emery had with Monchi at Sevilla convinced the powers that be that they had a real diamond on their hands.
It is a unique arrangement in the current Premier League.
Everyone and the Villa hierarchy could be concerned about a vacancy at United. But Emery’s dedication to the cause means I’d be shocked if he were tempted.
He is adored by Villa fans and the players will run through walls for him. They have a very high ceiling and, most importantly, it is well supported by the owners.
I’m not saying he wouldn’t be at United, but it’s other people who would be in charge of recruitment and he wouldn’t be able to get his people in.
There is no exact science for these things. I’m not sure if other clubs will follow the Villa way, but it works for them
If Erik ten Hag is fired, would Emery be tempted to replace him? I would be shocked if he did that
Emery has full confidence in football administrators Monchi (right) and Damian Vidagany (left)
Ten Hag does not have enough confidence at United. Too often he has left with what he knows, players from the Netherlands – that is an uncertainty.
Many of Villa’s signings had already learned their way around English football or came through the system here, including Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Rogers and Ian Maatsen.
Expectations are growing at Villa, it’s a good place to be.