Tag Archives: Unai Emery

Emery the winner / Pochettino the failure

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They are born less than 4 months apart. One on the 3rd of November 1971, the other on 2nd of March 1972. Both 46 years old. Yet one is considered as one of the brightest, best young managers in the game, whilst the other written off. Discarded. Considered a panic appointment in a messy recruitment process by Arsenal.

Unai Emery and Mauricio Pochettino. Two managers who are the same age, yet their story is so different. One is a proven winner with 8 major honours to his name. The other is yet to win his first trophy.

Since the announcement earlier this week that Emery was a poor appointment, I have found the hypocrisy and miss truths hilarious. Especially when you see the unjustified praise that surrounds Pochettino, and to a lesser Klopp.

Pochettino had a decent career at top level. 18 years that saw him go from Argentina to Spain, to France before returning to Spain, retiring in 2006 at 34. He played for the likes of Espanyol & PSG.

By the time Pochettino had retired, Emery was already into management. A journeyman playing career that saw him play throughout the Spanish league was ended by serious injury at 32. Despite no previous managerial experience, he was offered the vacant manager position at his final club, Lorca Deportiva, by the club president .

He immediately helped the club achieve promotion to the second division for the first time in its history. In his second season, the Murcians’ first ever in the second division, the team finished fifth with 69 points, only five points off promotion to the top flight. They suffered relegation in 2007, after the manager’s departure.

Emery then moved to Almería in division two, and again helped his squad overachieve: after guiding them to a first ever promotion in 2007, the Andalusian side finished eighth in La Liga in 2007–08.

By the time Pochettino had entered management in 2009 with Espanyol, Emery had already spent a year at Valencia, leading them to a sixth place-finish in spite of the club’s serious financial problems.

It is at this point, the line of Pochettino and Emery’s managerial career gets close.

Both stayed managing their clubs in Spain until 2012. During that time, Emery led Valencia to 3 third places finishes on the spin in La Liga. Continually rebuilding the side despite losing the likes of David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata.

During those same 3 seasons, Pochettino led Espanyol to league finishes of 11th, 3rd and 14th.

Emery left Valencia in June 2012 to take over a job at Spartak Moscow. He would be sacked in November, a month before Pochettino had quit Espanyol to take over the Southampton job.

Emery returned to Spanish football on 14 January 2013. 4 days later, Pochettino was announced as the new first-team manager of Premier League club Southampton.

It was at this point both managers careers became drastically different, with Emery going on to great success at Sevilla, whilst Pochettino won nothing at Southampton, left for Spurs where he has still won nothing.

It was 3 Europa League wins on the spin that led Emery to join PSG on a two-year-deal in 2016.

In 2 clubs with the French side, he led them to 5 domestic honours out of a possible 6. The only trophy that got away was in his first season when an excellent Monaco side won the league with 95 points – just 1 off the Ligue 1 record.

He left PSG after struggles in the Champions League – although it should be noted he lost to Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Emery story is one of a manager who took his first job at just 32, took 2 clubs to promotion and 1 side to 3rd in La Liga. A story of 3 European trophies and domestic domination in France – including the domestic treble.

Meanwhile, the Pochettino story contains very little real success. Finishing above a poor Arsenal team and “putting the pressure on” Chelsea for one season the highlights of what is now nearly a decade in management.

Just writing this blog highlights the gulf of class between the two. Yet the press are reporting the stories the other way round.

Following the English media, you would think Arsenal had just employed a man who had failed to win a trophy in 10 years, whilst the Spurs manager was one who had a decade of success and 15 years of experience.

I do understand some of the criticisms of Emery.

Not winning the league in France with PSG is a failure. But then Monaco got 95 points. Maybe we should actually be praising Monaco and Leonardo Jardim (who I am sure Arsenal would have approached) rather than using that season as a stick to bash Emery?

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/998800933663453184

Emery’s lack of Champions League success with PSG has also been held against him.

In two years in Paris, he was knocked out at the last 16 stage both times. Against Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is not exactly failure to go out against those sides.

He came in for heavy criticism for the defeat to Barcelona, and rightly so. Leading 4-0 after the first leg, Barcelona beat PSG 6-1 at the Nou Camp to progress.

But I feel the Champions League criticisms are unfair.

Pep Guardiola has had equally as much to spend at Manchester City. In his two years in England, he is yet to win the Champions League.

Knocked out in the last 16 last year to Monaco, and Liverpool in the Quarter Finals this year. I do not see too many criticising Guardiola for his Champions League failures.

In fact, Guardiola has not led a team to Champions League success since 2011 with Barcelona – he failed to lift the trophy with Bayern Munich.

I do not see too many labelling Guardiola as a poor manager based on 7 years of Champions League failure with top clubs. Yet people are labelling Emery the same after his experience with PSG.

Back to Pochettino, we once more see his paths cross with Emery.

In his first two years at Spurs, he managed Spurs in the Europa League. Spurs were knocked out at the last 32 and last 16 stages.

The winners both of those years? Sevilla. Lead by Unai Emery.

One huge criticism of Unai Emery is his “lack of English”. But the language barrier, alongside his age, is probably the only thing he has in common with Pochettino.

Pochetinno spent year and a half hiding behind a translator at Southampton.

He made a decision to speak English only in private at St Mary’s. Emery is similar at the moment.

From watching UEFA interviews, he fully understands English, but chooses to answer in Spanish. This is due to him wanting to get his message across the press, without manipulation, ensuring nothing is lost in translation.

After a few months of living in England, and some confidence in himself to speak English in public, everything will be fine. English will be the language of the training ground.

Based on their careers so far, Emery has outperformed Pochettino. It would not be a big shock to see Emery win a trophy for Arsenal before Pochettino wins one for Spurs. He is the successful manager of the two, the winner. Even if the media will have you believe otherwise.

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/998674718147465216

Keenos

Ivan Gazidis sticks two fingers up to crying journalists

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The “fall-out” from the appointment of Unai Emery has been hilarious.

Journalists and ITK’s across the country (and beyond) trying to slate the club, and Ivan Gazidis over the appointment.

They have attempted to highlight a messy process, one which Ian Wright called “like being in a Sushi restaurant”. I have seen people moaning about Arsenal talking to 10 possible candidates.

The reality is, Arsenal did not leak what was happening, and no one on the outside knew what was happening.

This resulted in journalists and Twitter attention seekers literally making stories up for clicks, for attention. And it was this that made it appear the recruitment process was messy.

Whether it be Max Allegri house hunting, or Mikel Arteta “all but signed”, these outlets literally created the appearance that Arsenal did not know what they were dong, with fabricated stories, than have the cheek to then write that Arsenal did not know what they were doing, based on how many of these fabricated stories were out there.

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/999017823098802177

Ivan Gazidis, in discussing the appointment of Unai Emery, put a sword into the heart of every journalist and Twitter ITK that pretends to have inside knowledge.

Gazidis on appointing Unai Emery:

“I know that [Emery] came as a bit of a surprise & perhaps there was one or two rewrites necessary [in the press]. Those who know won’t speak & those who speak won’t know

Gazidis on the process:

“We formed a three-person committee lead by me with Sven Mislintat & Raul Sanllehi. We wanted progressive, entertaining football, a personality that fits Arsenal’s values & a record of developing young players – pushing players & demanding more from them.”

“We analysed & looked through, on the basis that every coach in the world would be interested, & made a long list of eight coaches, all of whom were interested & who took place in extensive, in-depth interviews with the three of us. None of them withdrew their interest.”

“We interviewed Unai on the 10th of May, as part of that process, making a unanimous recommendation to the board on the 18th of May, with a 100-page dossier that supported his candidacy.”

“We met with London-based members of the board this week & then flew to Atlanta to meet Stan & Josh Kroenke. All of the board members were energised by the recommendation & enthusiastically supported it.”

“Unai has a competitive passion, detail & a love for football that made us feel this fit was exactly right for Arsenal.”

So there you have it.

Nothing was linked. It was a tight circle of people who know. And those that knew did not speak. The appointment might have “come from nowhere” but Emery was actually interview 2 weeks ago, and recommended to the board last Friday.

All the talk of Arteta being offered the job, or Vieira being called Monday for a “token” interview is clearly made up rubbish.

Gazidis, Mislintat & Sanllehi did everything right.

They spoke to plenty of people. Made a decision. Kept it quiet. They have done a good job.

And journalists and ITKs are a little upset that the club did not leak anything to them, and are taking out their upset on the club.

PS: Fair play Emery for conducted his press conference in English. Another 2 fingers up to the press who clearly do not have a clue.

Keenos

Arsenal to sign forgotten man

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He became the forgotten man during all the speculation about who to replace Arsene Wenger.

All the talk was about Allegri or Arteta, Enrique or Rodgers, Lowe or Ancelotti, but the name we ended up going for was one which, before news began to break yesterday morning, had been forgotten about.

By now you will have remembered about the man who is to become the next Arsenal manager. Unai Emery.

I really do not know why he exams forgotten about this summer. He has been on many of our short lists to replace Wenger for some time, but he had barely got a mention until this week started.

Emery first made my list way back in 2014, before I was even trying to blog. Arsenal without a trophy in 8 years, the man from the Basque Country had only recently joined Sevilla.

With the financial restraints Arsenal were under at the time, the young manager looked an excellent option. Memory went to his 3 consecutive top three finishes in La Liga with Valencia.

A fabulous achievement on a tiny budget whilst having to continually sell his top players – the likes of Juan Mata and David Silva.

Success for Arsenal followed that season with the FA Cup, leading Arsene Wenger to sign a new deal.

At Sevilla success also beckoned, as Emery led his side to the first of what would be an historic 3 UEFA Cups in a row.

In March 2016, the discussion about who to replace Arsene Wenger reared its head in my consciousness again. And once again Emery made my short list:

November of the same year, I revisited my list.

“He joined PSG this summer, which might mean replacing Arsene Wenger next summer might be too soon. But he is certainly one to keep an eye on.”

18 months after those comments, and we have secured the man who at the beginning of 2017, was in my top 3 for the Jon.

But then I have not spoke about him in 2018. He was certainly forgotten.

People will point to relative failures in France with PSG. Monaco winning the league in his first year.

And in the Champions League he never took the big spending French side to the later stages of the Champions League.

But can parallels be drawn with Pep Guardiola?

He failed to win the Premier League with Manchester City. And despite spending £400m, has only taken them as far as the Champions League Quarter Finals.

At PSG, he was knocked out by Barcelona and Real Madrid. And his failure in his first season in France saw Monaco hit an incredible 95 points, losing just 3 games, drawing 5.

https://twitter.com/_adamkeys/status/998646914815086592?s=21

Unai Emery took Valencia to 3 consecutive 3rd place finishes in La Liga, whilst selling his top players every year

He won 3 Europa Leagues in a row with Sevilla, despite huge financial constraints

5 trophies in 2 years at PSG

Great appointment by Arsenal. Even if most of us had forgotten about him.

I leave you with a tweet from 2016

https://twitter.com/keenosafc/status/733029527744610305?s=21

Keenos