Villa Park join Bailey in showing Emery faith

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP):

JAMAICAN WINGER Leon Bailey is not the only person noticing the work of Unai Emery at Aston Villa, with the Spanish manager signing a new contract with The Lions yesterday that keeps him there until 2029.

Emery took charge in October 2022 with Villa just three points above the relegation zone.

This season, he guided the club to a fourth-place finish and qualification for the Champions League.

“I am very happy to take this step and the responsibility of leading this club,” Emery said.

“There’s a great chemistry in Aston Villa. And the element of the fans’ support also makes the difference to feel like home. We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams.”

Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris said the club is “building something special ... with Unai at its core”.

Bailey, who has seen a turnaround of fortunes at Villa Park this season, said Emery was one of the best coaches he has ever worked with.

“The details of how he wants the team to be structured every game moving forward is amazing. It’s good as a player to have that understanding going out on the pitch as he makes sure that he takes the time to ensure that we understand every single detail,” Bailey had said.