Aston Villa, unlike Wolverhampton Wanderers, have found themselves a new manager in no time, announcing on Monday evening that they would be hiring Unai Emery.
The manager was comfortable at Villarreal, whom he guided to the Champions League semi-finals last year, but it seems the opportunity to return to the Premier League, where he has previously worked with Arsenal, was too good to turn down.
It didn’t take long between Aston Villa approaching him and the announcement that he would be unilaterally terminating his contract with the La Liga side, and Tuesday sees him face the press to explain his decision.
Before he spoke, Fernando Roig, Villarreal’s owner and president, made it clear that this entire thing caught them off guard.
He said, relayed by Marca: “He catches us on the wrong foot, because of this strange season. We have a great relationship. It’s been a bit of a mess for us, but in the face of adversity and changes, we always show strength. Today is Unai Emery, his work and his gratitude. We’re a little let down, but we thank you and wish you the best.”
It was then Emery’s turn to speak, where he first thanked Villarreal for the opportunity they gave him, and that he and the club managed to rise to the occasion when presented with it, as shown by their Champions League run last year.
As for why he decided to take the Aston Villa job when his current club are 7th in La Liga and the Villans sit 15th in the Premier League, he said: “It’s a professional and personal decision. I always carry the suitcase, and with many complicated and beautiful moments. Here I found a very important family-run spot, and I started to feel something from the heart again, but the profession is within me. I considered that I had to take this option. A different challenge, but professionally very good.”
Emery did show some emotion in his farewell press conference, and when asked why Aston Villa specifically, he simply said: “I just want to talk about Villarreal. Tomorrow a new stage opens and I’ll talk about it.”
