Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has offered a fascinating glimpse into the intensity of life under Unai Emery at Aston Villa, as part of research for his upcoming book “Rise of the Villans”, which charts the club’s transformation under the Basque coach.
Journalist Balague, who has chronicled the careers of Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola among others, has spent time around Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath to understand Emery’s methods.
He says the Villa boss’s meticulous approach is unlike anything he’s seen before – a culture built on detail, preparation and relentless work.
“I was aware of the work that goes in with Unai Emery and his assistants, but not aware of the hours that they put in,” Balague told BBC Radio WM.
“Eight am to egight pm every single day, three meetings with 50-minute videos, an hour -and-a-half meetings thrice a week.
“And what’s interesting is, in my mind, I am thinking of how can players deal with all of this? Well, there is a filter. If you cannot deal with it, you are not there. It’s part of your growth.
“Emery makes you grow, you have to listen to him, and you have to go into the little details. Honestly, it’s like working at Nasa. There is so much going on.”
Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds
