Aston Villa's 'no excuses' culture only works without excuses
Commitment to an ethos is serving Villa well in the Premier League but self-pity must not become an enemy within
“We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams.”
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery summed up the club’s outlook when he signed a new contract in May 2024. Villa were about to embark on what would be a wonderful return to Europe’s premier club competition after four decades.
Emery took Villa to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and they qualified for this season’s Europa League, confirming European football for the third season in a row.
There are generations of Villa supporters for whom this state of affairs feels like it should be the norm, for all ‘should’ actually means anything in football.
I grew up with Villa in the UEFA Cup. Hell, I even saw them win two trophies in three seasons. Supporters a few years older watched them win the First Division title and the European Cup.
That’s our Villa but it’s a fallacy. It means some of us underestimate Emery’s achievements since he replaced Steven Gerrard in 2022. History played no part in his successes at our club; Emery, Nassef Sawiris, Wes Edens, Dean Smith, Damian Vidagany and Monchi, among others, laid the foundations.
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Emery’s Villa try to do things a certain way. Their football department is structured differently than others and the philosophy dictates that ambition should not be compromised by outside restrictions.
In other words, there are no limits to our dreams. Under Emery and V Sports, Villa want silverware and regular Champions League football.
Emery is the ultimate unfair advantage
It’s mighty big talk for a club from Birmingham that was in the Championship seven years ago and doesn’t have the revenue to steadily improve their playing personnel without incurring penalties for breaches of Premier League and UEFA rules.
Villa are working hard to walk that line. They have just about the only manager with the ability and personality to pull it off, and he just happens to be an ideal fit in terms of club culture.
But the real magic in Emery’s connection with Villa is that he balances being an underdog and a bloodthirsty winner. Sure, he might end up at Real Madrid eventually, but I’d bet good money he proves to have suited Villa better.
It’s often hinted at and occasionally vocalised that Villa aren’t interested in making excuses. Emery won’t have excuses made on his behalf, or allow excuses to be made by or for his players.
That’s not to say context isn’t important. Influences outwith the club have an effect and it’s no secret that financial regulations including Premier League profit and sustainability rules are restrictive, but there’s a difference between context and excuses.
If nothing else, there are 19 clubs in the Premier League that don’t have Unai Emery in the dugout. How’s that for an excuse?
Villa aren’t victims
The difference between circumstances and excuses is intent.
Nobody sensible is going to deny that Villa’s player trading power is negatively impacted by PSR and you can interpret refereeing decisions however you want. I know I was displeased with the refereeing at the weekend. I’m on record saying as much.
But, if the players are to be held to a no-excuses standard, there’s no point in supporters or anyone else blaming officials or regulations in public when Villa fluff their lines.
Not making excuses isn’t about being too nice, as I’ve read this week, but an attitude.
It’s a winning mentality based on self-accountability and determination. I think it’s more important to engender that than to complain to PGMOL on a weekly basis or lash out incessantly on social media.
My view is that supporters shouldn’t allow the team those excuses and that they shouldn’t come from within the club either.
A singular focus is all that matters
The executive speaking up for Villa most frequently is Vidagany. The club’s director of football operations is a vocal social media user. That connection with the supporters is vital.
I have a lot of time for Vidagany and especially the candid way he engages with fans and puts forward Villa’s position on various matters, but making internal complaints public is only compatible with a no-excuses culture because Vidagany comes across as a winner. It’s a fine margin.
We’re all unhappy after the Brentford match. The result was a poor one on paper – another missed opportunity – and was exacerbated by a poor performance and the highly unsatisfactory manner in which Villa’s equaliser was disallowed.
I’ve spent enough time on that myself so I’m not saying for a moment that I’m an example to follow.
But here’s the thing: if Villa want to hold themselves to the highest standards and not piss and moan about every little thing that goes against them, to expect the players to get on with the job in any and all circumstances, to build accountability into their DNA, even the appearance of making excuses will be to their detriment.