Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash has expressed his belief that the club has not received sufficient recognition for the achievements under manager Unai Emery over the past three-and-a-half years. Cash also admitted he was taken aback by Emery's omission from the Manager of the Season shortlist.
Villa's Consistent Success
Since Emery's appointment, Villa have accumulated the fourth-highest points tally in the Premier League. Following Friday's 4-2 victory over Liverpool, they secured Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons. Despite this, Emery was not considered for the Manager of the Season award.
"I was quite surprised, to be honest," Cash said. "Given the circumstances in the summer, we couldn't spend much money, and with what's been going on behind the scenes, the job he has done is unbelievable. Quite surprised, but it is what it is."
Lack of Recognition
When asked if Villa receive enough credit, Cash responded: "We've never really, over the years. I think people still don't see us as one of the top four or five teams. That's people not giving us the recognition, but the consistency we've shown over the last three to four years since the manager arrived means we are more than in the conversation of being a top five Premier League team."
He added: "Sometimes it's good to go as the underdog, because you can just sort of scrape along! Maybe people will start to realise that we are a top team and hard to play against, especially at Villa Park with its great atmosphere."
Victory Over Liverpool
The win against Liverpool was Villa's first under Emery, who had failed to beat them in his previous ten league attempts. It was the perfect moment to end that run, as it secured Champions League football.
"We had a chance to win and cement Champions League football. For the club overall, it's a global thing - the Champions League is massive," Cash said. "People could say resting players, but we had one job tonight: to win. Then we go again on Wednesday. We have the same winning mentality, and hopefully we can enjoy it and get a result."
He continued: "It shows the work behind the scenes, on the training pitch, all the coaches, everyone involved. It's not just turn up and play. You have to work hard and make sacrifices to be up here. It's fantastic to be in the Champions League again."
Europa League Final Preparation
The victory over Liverpool provides a perfect platform for Wednesday's Europa League final against SC Freiburg. "You have to play the game, not the occasion. Our manager is so experienced in the Europa League. He will set out a game plan and tell us what we need to do. We respect Freiburg; it's a 50-50 match," Cash said.
"After tonight, we are really confident we can go there and enjoy the occasion. The club hasn't done that for a long time, and they deserve it. The fans deserve a trophy coming back to Villa Park. Hopefully we can do it."
