Source: Team_Talk
AVB: Emery can be a great
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has tipped Valencia counterpart and fellow thirty-something Unai Emery to become a managerial great.[LNB] The two managers come face to face in Wednesday's crunch Champions League clash at the Mestalla.[LNB]Villas-Boas will put his friendship with Emery to one side for the Blues' second Group E game in Spain - a match that is beginning to look by far their toughest en route to the knockout stage.[LNB]Like 33-year-old Villas-Boas, Emery began his managerial career in his early 30s, and the pair are now considered two of the brightest young coaches around.[LNB]After injury forced him to hang up his boots, Emery enjoyed instant success at both Lorca and Almeria before being tasked with reviving debt-ridden Valencia's fortunes just over three years ago.[LNB]Despite being forced to sell star men such as David Villa, David Silva and - most recently to Chelsea - Juan Mata, the 39-year-old has done just that.[LNB]They have twice finished third behind the mega-rich Barcelona and Real Madrid and stormed to the top of the Primera Division this season before Wednesday night's 2-2 draw with the former, who they were 13 minutes away from beating in a thrilling contest.[LNB]"Unai is a very, very good coach," said Villas-Boas, who was otherwise occupied on Wednesday as Chelsea were beating Fulham in the Carling Cup but had a scout at the Mestalla.[LNB]"I think he can be one of the future greatest managers.[LNB]"He organises his teams very well and all of what he has done in his career is down to his attitude towards the game and the way his team plays.[LNB]"He is a friend of mine and I'm happy he is doing well."[LNB]Despite their fine start domestically, Valencia failed to kick off their Champions League campaign with a victory, having been held to a goalless draw at Genk a week and a half ago.[LNB]"The result at Genk was unexpected," said Villas-Boas, whose Chelsea side beat Bayer Leverkusen on the same night to take the early initiative in Group E.[LNB]"Genk is a difficult place to go and it's a very tight stadium with a good environment.[LNB]"But I was expecting Valencia to take the win.[LNB]"So I would say that this is a game where Valencia will try to get three points.[LNB]"A win at Valencia would put us in a very, very good position."[LNB]After playing for more than 70 minutes with 10 men in Wednesday night's Carling Cup penalty shootout win following Alex's red card, Villas-Boas made wholesale changes to his side for today's Barclays Premier League game against Swansea.[LNB]But he revealed that would not have a knock-on effect for the Valencia game, insisting it was too early in the season to worry about burnout.[LNB]"You don't know how many games you're going to play during the season, so we just have to wait and see," he said.[LNB]"We hope to progress to a good season but, at the moment, I would never take that into account.[LNB]"Players can be overloaded - I agree - but due to the different international appointments they have and the games they play for their teams."[LNB]That is likely to mean an early reunion for Mata and his former Valencia team-mates, while Oriol Romeu is also set for a quick return to Spain after quitting Barcelona this summer.[LNB]The holding midfielder, who turned 20 today, impressed during his full debut on Wednesday.[LNB]"You saw the potential of the player," Villas-Boas said.[LNB]"He's competing with (John Obi) Mikel and Raul (Meireles) in that position and he played to a good level.[LNB]"All of them have the talent to play in that position.[LNB]"They have, of course, their individual characteristics and we try to promote what is their individual talent.[LNB]"All of the three are very, very good."[LNB]
