Rise of the Villans
Inside Unai Emery's Aston Villa Revolution
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Rise of the Villans
Narrated by:
Elexi Walker
Buy Now for $35.40
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Narrated by:
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Elexi Walker
Summary
'BRILLIANT, REVEALS DELIGHTFUL DETAILS ABOUT EMERY' The Times
'A BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE MAKING OF A MODERN FOOTBALL IDENTITY' Midlands Gazette
"Aston Villa is waking up. The slumbering giant is stretching its limbs, eyes wide with the promise of glory. The fans feel it. The city feels it. With Unai Emery at the helm and new ownership driving ambition, there's a feeling that after years of wandering in the wilderness, Villa is finally coming home to where it belongs..."
Guillem Balagué has had unparalleled access to Unai Emery, his backroom staff and the Aston Villa squad ever since the Spaniard was appointed manager in 2022. From growing up in the Basque region to becoming one of the most exciting coaches today, Rise of the Villans reveals the inner workings of Emery's psyche. Guillem also takes readers inside Bodymoor Heath to show how Unai has transformed Villa into an exciting side renowned for their direct passing, high energy and devastating counter attacks. At the core of the book are Villa's passionate fans, who outline why they believe club and manager are the perfect match.
With the Holte End roaring into life as Villa Park welcomed the return of European football, it was clear for all to see: Unai Emery had awoken the sleeping giant.©2025 Guillem Balague
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Critic Reviews
Guillem Balague's brilliant new book on Emery, Rise of the Villans... Balague's book reveals delightful details about Emery, like how he considered trademarking his famous Spanglish interview greeting of "Good ebening" and how his favourite book is Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Father Jacques Philippe, a volume on Catholic spirituality.
One of the book's strengths is that it treats the fanbase as part of the story rather than scenery, capturing why many supporters feel that club and coach are an unusually good match, and what it means when the Holte End senses a real plan unfolding... If you want the cleanest way to describe what Balagué is offering here, it's this: a backstage pass to the making of a modern football identity, told by a writer whose career has been built on getting close enough to show the reader the wiring. Not the roar alone, but the switches that made the roar possible.
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