So, Alejandro Garnacho is finally a Villa player. Judging by some of the reaction online, you’d think we’d just signed another Eric Djemba-Djemba, so crap they named him twice. I think some Villa supporters are jumping the gun.
You might be surprised to know that, as a Villa blogger, I don’t have a deep interest in other clubs’ players until they come to Villa Park or we play them away. I tend to focus on Aston Villa rather than keeping tabs on every talented youngster around the Premier League.
What I do remember about Garnacho is that he always seemed to play well against us. He was one of those players who was a nuisance from the first whistle to the last, constantly running at defenders, never giving them a moment’s peace. He was like a fly buzzing around your face that just wouldn’t leave you alone.
The phrase I hear more than any other from Villa supporters is, “Trust in Emery.” Well, do you trust him on this one? Because I do.
Garnacho is still only 22. He’s already gained plenty of Premier League experience, there’s no doubt the talent is there to be prised out. Sometimes a player’s development stalls. A different manager, a different football club, different teammates, different expectations – all of those things can affect performances.
But the opposite can also be true. A new environment can bring the very best out of a player, and if Unai Emery can’t unlock Garnacho’s full potential, then I honestly don’t believe anyone can.
He’ll also be surrounded by experienced professionals. Watkins, McGinn, Mings and the rest of the dressing room know exactly what Emery expects. You can easily imagine someone like Tyrone Mings taking Garnacho under his wing, encouraging him when he’s doing well and quietly putting him straight if he steps out of line. That’s the sort of culture Emery has built at Villa.
Look, I’m disappointed about some of the players we’ve already lost this summer. I’m sure many of you are too. Are there better players out there than Garnacho? I’d say so. But let’s not lose sight of where we’ve come from.
Remember Yacouba Sylla, “He loves the ****ing Villa The Villa.” He was completed and utter rubbish, and the Villa fans sang his name passionately. That’s the type of players we were signing not that long ago. Don’t you forget it.
Then think about the managers we’ve had to endure. Steve Bruce. Remi Garde. Paul Lambert. Alex McLeish, and the worst of all, Steven Gerrard. Those weren’t exactly the glory days, were they?
Now compare that with where we are today. We’ve got one of the best coaches in world football managing Aston Villa. We’re competing in the Champions League, we’re attracting talented young players with huge potential, and we’re still being linked with some excellent additions before the transfer window closes.
Is Garnacho the perfect signing? Maybe not. But I’d much rather trust the judgement of the best Villa manager we’ve had in decades than write off a 22-year-old before he’s even kicked a ball in claret and blue.
If Emery believes he can turn Garnacho into a top player, that’s good enough for me, and it should be for you. UTV
We should not forget that Dean Smith built the culture, Emery continued it. I would also say Emery is **the** best Villa manager ever. Great article and I agree. I think Garnacho is a very astute signing.
I totally agree Martin. You’ll never hear me say a bad word about Dean Smith. Smith is one of the main reasons we are where we are. Great comment