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.
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“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.
"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.
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