Aston Villa star Leon Bailey was full of praise for manager Unai Emery ahead of his side’s victory over Fulham, speaking to the BBC on the impact the boss has had at the club.
Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey has seen his career in the Midlands revitalised and arguably saved by Unai Emery, who continues to squeeze the best out of the Jamaican.
It took the 26-year-old some time to settle into his surroundings in the Premier League after signing from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021, with his form now searing thanks to Emery.
Having penned a new deal with the club earlier this month, the forward is proof of how quickly things can change in football as it wasn’t long ago that his future at Villa was questioned.
Speaking ahead of Villa’s duel with Fulham at Craven Cottage, Bailey spoke to the BBC to explain the impact that Emery has had on “everything” at Villa Park.
What Leon Bailey said about the Unai Emery impact at Aston Villa
Sitting down ahead of Saturday’s 2-1 victory, Bailey was full of praise for his manager.
“He [Emery] has improved every single player in this club, not just the players, but the staff. Everything around this football club, he has improved.”
Prior to Emery’s arrival and at the start of his reign at Aston Villa, the Jamaica international was struggling to find consistency in the Premier League, highlighted by his lack of contribution to goals.
The 26-year-old only netted five goals over his first two Premier League seasons at Villa which is a contrast to his efforts now, a change in direction that the winger credited to the manager.
“The beginning of the season we did have a discussion and he said to me, ‘listen, Leon, I know you have a lot more to give and I can see you’re playing well at home and then sometimes when we are away, you’re not giving the performance that you’re given at home’.”
“And I have to be a professional and a mature person to understand when somebody is actually trying to help you and when somebody is actually trying to be harsh towards you. It’s always been good conversations and always trying to uplift my spirit and my confidence. And he’s done that.”
How the Fulham result supported Leon Bailey’s praise of Unai Emery
As Bailey mentioned, it’s not just the individual support that the Spaniard has provided, but also guidance to make the whole club better.
After losing two consecutive home games and losing Boubacar Kamara to Villa’s third ACL injury of the season, Emery still managed to inspire his team to bounce back against Fulham.
His side’s performance epitomised the resilience and adaptability that the boss has been able to show throughout the 2023/24 calendar, substantiating Bailey’s high praise.
Switching back to the winger’s performance, the 26-year-old’s confidence built by Emery was exhuberant at Craven Cottage, as he completed two out of his three attempted dribbles and recorded one key pass, via Sofascore.
Aside from just that fixture, the Jamaican’s on-field contributions show beyond his goal tally, with him averaging a higher rate of key passes per game (0.9 to 1.3) and a higher rate of successful dribbles per game (1.2 to 1.4) this term compared to last.
While the hard work of Bailey is admirable, the challenges that Emery has overcome this season at Villa make his side’s top-four charge even more impressive.
