Tom Rudge 🦁

“Emery showed so many videos that I ran out of popcorn. He’s obsessed with football. It’s practically an illness. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. I worked with him for 3 years… I couldn’t have managed a 4th!” Joaquín (Valencia) It doesn’t surprise me that players come and go under Emery. The weak quickly struggle to cope… even the strong will reach the limits of their endurance eventually. Leaving Emery’s Aston Villa will be a relief to many. They’ll walk into their next club and it’ll feel like a breeze in comparison… but you’ll also see their standards drop over time. Those who were at Aston Villa pre-Emery will have stronger acceptance of his methods as they saw the initial, incredible impact they had and what life was like before. Those brought in will either recoil from them or thrive. If you’ve worked with, or for, an obsessive you’ll know both how painful and rewarding it can be… No hiding place… No stone unturned… The pursuit of excellence isn’t for everyone. New signings and academy graduates alike… some will ride the crest of the wave and some will drown. Unai Emery is not for the faint hearted.