Pepe unveiled the pivotal role that Emery's effort to speak in his native language played during their one-hour phone call, an impressive feat given that Spanish is the ex-manager's first language. Despite struggling to make a mark at Arsenal following a successful stint at Lille, Pepe recently gave insight into his transfer decision, saying he considered Napoli but felt swayed by Emery's detailed pitch and his dedication to helping Pepe fit into the Arsenal framework.
When it comes to Villa's current pursuit of talent, fans might be heartened by Emery's knack for persuasion. "I had a call with Carlo Ancelotti, who was Napoli coach at the time," Pepe said in an interview with The Athletic. "It lasted five minutes. Half an hour later, I received another call, this time from Unai Emery (Arsenal's manager at the time). It lasted an hour.
"He told me exactly what he was looking for, everything he would expect from me if I joined Arsenal. He spoke about tactics, what he wanted from me, where he was going to play me, how I could expect to improve under him. Loads of detail.
"And although he's not a great French speaker, he spoke to me in French for a whole hour. It was a small thing, but it impressed me. I felt his desire to work with me."
While Villa have been facing challenges in the Premier League, Unai Emery has led them to an impressive debut season in the Champions League, securing three wins including a remarkable triumph over Bayern Munich. Despite some domestic struggles, Emery enjoys solid support from his squad, who are quick to praise the former Sevilla boss's top-tier mindset, as per Birmingham Live.
Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers revealed to Mirror Football that Emery's approach was pivotal in his decision to join the club. Having become a crucial player for Villa, Rogers shared insights into how he had to gain Emery's confidence. And like Pepe, it was Emery's attention to detail and his passion that convinced Rogers that moving to Villa was the right choice.
"That's why I signed. It wasn't the club, it was the coach. When someone wants you like that, you go," Rogers said. "Unai didn't love me at the start. That's the way he manages, especially me. It was very much a case of tough love.
"He zeroed in on details he wanted me to improve upon and get better at. If he hadn't, I'd have gone through the motions and it would have taken me longer to integrate."
The plaudits don't stop there. Villa's rising star Lamare Bogarde has hailed Emery as a "football genius" expressing his willingness to adapt to any role for his boss. The Dutch youngster has also revealed insights into Emery's meticulous approach to football.
"If I had to describe him, I think it would be 'football genius'," Bogarde said. "He is really crazy about the game. He analyses every match down to the second and is really obsessed with football. He knows what he is doing, and you can really see that. He makes everyone feel good."
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