Ollie Watkins has now revealed exactly what Unai Emery said to him before his first game in charge of Aston Villa.
Aston Villa would have been 32 goals worse off last season in the Premier League if it wasn’t for the contributions of Ollie Watkins.
The Englishman scored 19 goals and recorded 13 assists over the 2023/24 campaign, showing a vast improvement in claret and blue.
Now, the 28-year-old has spoken out about his career, detailing one pivotal conversation he had with Unai Emery at the start of his Villa reign.
READ MORE: Where Aston Villa would have finished in the Premier League without Ollie Watkins last season
What Unai Emery said to Ollie Watkins before his first game in charge of Aston Villa
Speaking on The High Performance Podcast, Watkins recalled what Emery said to him ahead of his first game in charge of the squad.
Villa were preparing to face Manchester United on the back of a dreadful start to the 2022/23 campaign.
At that point, Watkins had only netted three goals for Villa, who sat in 16th in the table ahead of their meeting with the Red Devils, a game which they won.
The striker recalled what the manager said to him prior to the fixture.
“I remember the night before the Man Utd, I was only on three goals and he [Emery] said to me: ‘by the end of the season, you’re going to score 15 goals, I’ve watched all your clips at Brentford, you’re an amazing player, I don’t need to buy another striker, I’m going to stick with you’.
“He had all this faith in me before I’d even played a game for him, that’s just something you want to hear really.”
As stated by Watkins himself, the support that Emery showed the forward before he had even represented him was fundamental, with their relationship having blossomed since.
Emery’s first wish for Watkins came true
The manager saw something in Watkins that materialised, as the England international ended the 2022/23 Premier League campaign on 15 goals.
That season ended seeing the talisman net his highest tally in the Premier League, numbers that only extended the following year as he concluded the 2023/24 campaign on 19 goals.
READ MORE: The one Ollie Watkins change ‘just before’ Unai Emery arrived has paid off for Aston Villa
Watkins’ growth has been remarkable at Villa, particularly since Emery’s arrival, which has seen the striker pay back the boss’ belief from his early days in the Midlands.
Having a supportive coach is integral to players, with Villa seeing first hand just how fundamental Emery’s backing of Watkins has been to the squad.
