Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has paid the ultimate compliment to compatriot Unai Emery, declaring the Aston Villa boss one of the world's finest coaches while drawing a fascinating distinction between him and Manchester City's Pep Guardiola.
High Praise from the South Coast
Speaking after Saturday's 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium, where Morgan Rogers' opener for Villa was cancelled out by Bournemouth winger Rayan, Iraola reflected on Emery's impressive record against him. The Villa manager remains unbeaten in eight encounters with his fellow Basque Country native.
"He has achieved a lot of very good things as a manager," Iraola stated emphatically. "I always say, Unai is one of the best managers. Not just in the Premier League, he is one of the best managers overall."
A Different Kind of Role Model
What makes Iraola's praise particularly noteworthy is his explanation of why he views Emery differently from Guardiola, despite both Spanish managers enjoying tremendous success.
"He is a good example for me," Iraola explained. "We know about Pep Guardiola, but Guardiola has always been in top teams. He has been winning all the time."
The Bournemouth boss highlighted Emery's contrasting career trajectory as particularly inspirational for coaches at various levels:
- Starting in Spain's third division with Lorca Deportiva
- Progressing through the second division with Almería
- Reaching the top flight and succeeding across multiple countries
- Winning major trophies with different clubs
The Value of a Varied Journey
"I value him a lot, Unai, because he started in the third division," Iraola continued. "In the second division, he improved a little bit. He went up to the first division. He has tried different things in different countries. He has arrived in top clubs. He has won titles."
Iraola emphasized the educational value of Emery's diverse experiences, having observed his work at clubs ranging from Almería and Sevilla to Villarreal and now Aston Villa.
"There is a process there," he noted. "We can learn a lot from his experience. I have seen Unai coaching Almeria. I have seen Unai coaching Sevilla. I have seen him coaching Villarreal. A lot of different-level teams. He has always done well. He has adapted. In that sense, he is a reference for a lot of coaches."
This perspective offers a refreshing contrast to the narrative surrounding managers who have exclusively worked with elite clubs, positioning Emery's career as a blueprint for sustainable coaching development through varied challenges and environments.
