John McGinn has revealed the inner drive that he believes will make Unai Emery the best manager in Aston Villa's history. The club's skipper stated that the players' eyes are fixed on success in every competition as they aim to end a barren 28-year wait for a major trophy. Aston Villa made it three wins out of three, maintaining a 100 per cent record in the Champions League, as Bologna were defeated at Villa Park, thanks to second-half strikes from McGinn and Jhon Duran.
The determination to succeed, epitomised by Emery, has transformed life in Villa's dressing room. McGinn said, “I've never met anyone like Unai. He’s just so driven. He’s said to me a few times that, as a footballer, he was okay, but he wishes he had the determination and work-rate as a player that he has as a manager. No one can question what he puts in, his effort. Everything that comes our way is off the back of that hard work. You feed off your leader. He is our leader, and we feed off of that. He’s improving us all and there’s a great feeling about the place."
While acknowledging the team's current strengths, McGinn noted areas for improvement, particularly in reducing the number of goals conceded in the Premier League. He stated, “I know there are things we can improve upon. We’re not happy with the amount of goals we are conceding in the Premier League, for instance. But we are going in the right direction, and hopefully, everything can align over the next couple of years.”
Emery has been supported by the return of key players from long-term injuries. Reflecting on this, McGinn mentioned a conversation with Tyrone Mings, who has been sidelined for 14 months with a knee issue. McGinn remarked, “We agreed that Villa's substitutes bench is the strongest in the club's history.”
Looking ahead, McGinn expressed the team's excitement for the future but acknowledged the manager's focus, saying, “The only person who isn’t is the manager. He just focuses his full energy all the time. Like he says, he’s demanding every single day. He does not let us take our foot off the gas so we can use our energy and enthusiasm - the excitement we have. But his intensity is unmatched." He continued, “No matter what happens between now and whenever he leaves - and we hope it’s never - he will certainly go down as one of our club's greatest managers."
According to predictions reported by The Mirror, 16 points should be sufficient for Villa to finish in the top eight and bypass the Champions League play-off round. With nine points already secured, two more wins and a draw from the remaining five fixtures should see them into that elite group. McGinn acknowledged the importance of this target, stating, “It would definitely help us if we were to do that. It was similar to last year - finishing top of the Conference League group meant you missed the play-off round."
The squad is also aiming for success in domestic cup competitions, with an eye on the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. McGinn highlighted the upcoming match against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, asserting, “We want to win that. So, missing two games would be a bonus. But if we need to play them, we need to play them. There will be no complaints from anyone because we know we are in the top-flight of European football.”