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.
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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.