Aston Villa’s future aims as Emery’s side wants to continue competing at elite European levels

National World - LocalTV

As Aston Villa reflect on a memorable campaign, there’s a clear sense that this season can be a springboard for even greater success. We spoke to Charlie Haffenden of BirminghamWorld about what comes next after deep runs in Europe and the FA Cup.

Transcript

00:00Now, as Aston Villa reflects on a memorable campaign, there's a clear sense that this

00:08season can be springboarded for even greater success.

00:12UNAMRO side have grown significantly, showing resilience, tactical maturity and a squad

00:18capable of competing on multiple fronts.

00:21While missing out on silverware may sting, their performances in Europe and domestically

00:26have underlined Villa's progress, with momentum, experience and a strong foundation, Villa

00:31are well-placed to push even further next season, both home and abroad.

00:37We spoke to Charlie Haffenden of Birmingham World about what comes next after deep runs

00:41in Europe and the FA Cup, and where UNAMRO believes this group can go.

00:47Yeah, just on the summer, I mean, we've seen Villa's rise go from dealing with a lot of

00:55championship clubs to suddenly they are dealing with the elite giants of Europe in terms of

01:00transfers.

01:01Manchester United's Chelsea's PSG is obviously in that incredible January window.

01:06They're sort of a bit of a crossroads Villa because you feel they are so close to touching

01:10the very, very top echelons of the Premier League and obviously they've gone far enough

01:15in the Champions League as well.

01:16They want to make sure they get over the line in the FA Cup as well.

01:19But in terms of summer, how do you feel they go about their business now?

01:22Because, you know, they're going to want to continue to fight near the very, very top

01:27of where they can be under UNAMRO and, you know, every summer and every transfer window

01:31can be really important now.

01:35Yeah, I think a lot of Villa fans will want to see the club investing in the summer to make

01:39sure that they've got that depth.

01:41I think the depth right now is the best it's been in a very long time.

01:44That's been aided by the fact that there aren't any injuries really anymore as well.

01:48But I don't think they'll be able to spend as much as they'll want to in the summer.

01:51If anything, they're going to have to sell players, which is definitely not what supporters

01:55will want to hear.

01:56Just trying to stay in line with the profit and sustainability rules, the financial fair

02:00play.

02:01It doesn't feel fair at all.

02:03They say it's financial fair play, but it doesn't feel fair when the likes of Manchester

02:07City and Chelsea and Man United are able to spend a ridiculous amount of money.

02:11And then Villa, even though they're at their highest heights in such a long time, in decades,

02:15they're having to sell Academy products just to meet those margins.

02:19I think, unfortunately, this summer we will see a key player leave, whether it be Oli Watkins,

02:24Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers.

02:25They need to make money somehow, and then they can reinvest some of it.

02:29But it is a shame.

02:30It really is.

02:31But I do think they'll be clever.

02:32We've seen how shrewd they can be with their business, potentially rash for coming in

02:35permanently.

02:36Asensio is available for a cut price fee because he's going into his last 12 months of

02:40his PSG contract.

02:41There is business to be done.

02:42It's just frustrating, the manner in which it will have to be carried out.

02:45We've mentioned it's been a pretty meteoric rise from an IM race side ever so slowly.

02:50Last season was fantastic.

02:51This season, they've pressed on even more.

02:54They've done so well reaching the latter stages of the FA Cup, the Champions League as well.

02:59In terms of the standout players at Villa, we've mentioned Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey.

03:05They've built a fantastic bit of a standout season, a breakthrough campaign, if you will.

03:10And then there's been quality throughout the side.

03:13Who's stood out for you in terms of understanding this system?

03:17We obviously mentioned John McGinn as well.

03:19He's been so good in terms of his rise from where he was to the Champions League under

03:23an IM race.

03:24It's been pretty incredible.

03:26Who stands out as a player of the season, possibly, to get that pick for Aston Villa?

03:31Yeah, I think there are so many that you could put into the conversation for player of the

03:36season for Villa and so many that have been crucial to Emery's system, the way he wants

03:40to operate.

03:41He's got quite a rigid structure.

03:42He wants his attacking midfielders and his wingers to kind of tuck in and form a diamond

03:46at times in midfield.

03:47He wants one striker who can get in beyond the lines, but someone to support Justin behind.

03:52We've seen Morgan Rogers, the man at the number 10 role.

03:55When Marco Asensio was signed, then Rogers moved out to the right, performing just as well

04:00in that position.

04:01Versatility being so important for so many of these players.

04:04John McGinn, as you've mentioned, Jacob Ramsey, even Marcus Rashford to an extent, going out

04:08on the left wing and then out front when Emery wants him to.

04:11But the standout for me is someone who's not really moved positions too much, but has just

04:15stayed in that midfield double pivot throughout the entire season.

04:18It's Uri Tielemans.

04:19We've seen even when fixture congestion has got crazy, quite literally crazy at times.

04:25You've had games every three or four days.

04:28Tielemans hasn't missed a beat.

04:29He's hardly even substituted off towards the end of games.

04:33Emery knows how important he is to his system.

04:35It took him a bit of time to adjust under Emery, but this season he's really come into

04:38his own and, in my opinion, one of the best midfielders in the Premier League full stop.

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