Emery and Jacob Ramsey on Villa v Celtic and UCL qualfication
28/01/2025
uefa24
28/01/2025
uefa24
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00:00Good afternoon everybody, we'll use the raised hand process again today and there's a mic
00:10at either side of the room to come round. It's an all-in so there's no separate button
00:17for this one and we'll start with BBC, whatever they are.
00:30How is Tyrone Mings after the weekend and has his injury affected what the club and
00:38you need to do in the last few days for the transfer window?
00:42Good afternoon, we will see this afternoon. We are going to train and we are going to
00:48decide in case how they are feeling every players for the match tomorrow. We have Lamar
00:56Bogarde as well in the squad, he helped us a lot at the beginning of the season. Of course
01:01he's training every day and competing very well in the training session and he's another
01:07option as well we have. And then Shiel, he's training with us but we are thinking to let
01:16him to live alone and I think he will need more experience, get a minute to be ready
01:26to play with us one match like tomorrow we are playing in the Champions League.
01:30You mentioned Bogarde when we spoke on Sunday as a versatile player. Has that become a more
01:37valuable thing now this season with so many games and limited size of squad? When you're
01:44looking for a player, do they need to be versatile like that?
01:47We have enough players to compete and to feel confidence. Of course some versatile players
01:54as well they have to feel comfortable, they have to feel confident when they are playing.
01:59Like for example on Sunday with Lucas Digne, he played in pre-season one match in central
02:05back and they decided for him because he is left foot and for all build up. He is an
02:11experienced player and he can of course feel confident playing as a central back in case
02:18we need him like Sunday. But of course I am analysing everything. Firstly in case Tyrone
02:27Minks is available of course he will play. And another option as well with the versatile
02:34players but as well with one player like Lamar Bogarde because he played and he helped
02:42us. Usually I am training with him as a midfielder. He played in Arsenal as a midfielder and he
02:49played fantastic. He was playing as well at the beginning of the season as a full-back,
02:54right full-back. He is training Sunday as a central back and tomorrow we have to try
03:00to be ready but I am confident and I believe in the squad we have. We have now injured
03:09players but of course this is something everything we have more or less. Of course we have one
03:17circumstance like Diego Carlos. He wanted to leave and he was pushing us to let him
03:26leave and even we wanted to try to replace him but we couldn't do at the same time both
03:38and we had to accept it because of course the circumstances coming like that we have
03:46to work and to prepare and to believe and to be ready to get our performances with the
03:55players we have and I believe in the players we have in the squad and I believe we can
04:00compete tomorrow with the players we have.
04:15Yes of course, very prestigious club. They won as well the Champions League. We are excited,
04:22motivated with our supporters to enjoy this way. We are with 13 points with the possibility
04:31to be in the top eight and we are doing a very fantastic way in the Champions League
04:38this year. Even we lost last week against Monaco. It was a very good opportunity we lost but
04:44we compete and we played more or less in the way I want and tomorrow is a very good opportunity
04:53against Celtic to enjoy here. Of course I know some special match and rival match for the
05:00supporters as well but it's fantastic to play Champions League matches. It's fantastic to
05:04play against teams like Celtic. I played before in Champions League against them with another
05:09club and always is the atmosphere of course tomorrow is in Villapar but they are going
05:14to be as well supportive of Celtic here and it's very good to enjoy football like that.
05:20Very deep football.
05:27It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter for tomorrow.
05:32You can watch it in Google.
05:36It's your work, never mind.
05:39Just tomorrow, will you be following results from elsewhere because obviously that will
05:45have an impact on whether you can get into the top eight and if you do get into the top
05:49eight, can you say that you are one of the best eight teams in Europe?
05:54If, if. I don't like a lot. I want to be active and to play and enjoy the way. In case, if
06:05we are, we'll see. We'll see it. Of course I want to be in the top eight and of course
06:12you have the opportunity. It's fantastic. Last week I was a little pessimist after the
06:17match against Monaco. I recognise it. But overall we are doing a fantastic way and we
06:25are now with 13 points and of course it's not in our hands but other teams as well,
06:32we have to win tomorrow in case we are winning of course and I want to play the match. I
06:38want to enjoy tomorrow with our supporters in Villaparque, the day eight in the Champions
06:44League this year. We are excited, motivated. The players as well, they are showing us in
06:50the Champions League, they are enjoying and enjoying competing, enjoying trying to win,
06:56enjoying as well creating a strong atmosphere, a positive strong atmosphere tomorrow here
07:03with our supporters here.
07:05Will you be following the results from elsewhere then?
07:10I am going to follow our players playing, showing their capacity, of course trying to
07:17get the best decision through the match in 90 minutes and then at the end of the match
07:25I am going to watch another result, how we are.
07:28We are going to hear from Jacob Ramsey in a short amount of time but he scored on the
07:33weekend. How good has it been to have him back fit and now contributing as well?
07:39It's been tough for him last year, this year, not being consistent, playing for different
07:51circumstances, small injuries, last year a little bit low injury but we believe how
07:59he can recover again, his good form like he showed here two years ago when we arrived
08:06here and of course scoring one goal on Sunday for him is I think confidence and try to feel
08:14comfortable as well playing again, consistency, minutes. Last week we decided to stop him
08:21in Monaco because he was telling us he was not feeling strong for three matches in a
08:28row playing in one week and we decided to stop him but Sunday he played and more or
08:35less he played well, he was feeling comfortable and he was getting confident as well with
08:40his goal, of course tomorrow another opportunity for the team, another opportunity for the
08:46players, for him.
08:54Can you tell us about your memories of the games that you had with Paris Saint Germain
08:59and Spartak Moscow against Celtic and also what you think of Brendan Rodgers' team now,
09:03how well they have progressed?
09:11Brendan is a fantastic coach, fantastic, he showed here in Leicester in Celtic and his
09:20career as a coach, how he was developing his career as a coach, starting I think in Swensea
09:26and Liverpool as well, the opportunity he had there. The last matches we played together
09:35was when he was in Leicester and it was always very difficult to beat him, to beat the team
09:43he was managing. With PSG it was a different moment, of course we won but it was a different
09:50moment and different teams as well and before as well I played with Spartak Moscow, different
10:00moments and tomorrow we will respect them like they deserve and of course they are a
10:08winning team. Their mentality is usually the teams they are winning out of matches in a
10:17row in their league and they have very experienced players, international players and they are
10:25going to play tomorrow here feeling confident and trying as well to face us, more or less
10:34feeling they can be close of us as well in the performances and of course I know because
10:46I respect them and we analyse them and the way they are doing as well to be in the next
10:51round is because they have good players, good coaches, the club is as well a prestigious
10:57club and the players feel that they are a team to play in Europe, in the Champions League
11:04or in other ways and we are going to feel it I think very quickly tomorrow when we are
11:11starting the match.
11:13I know you have always said that you like playing matches but if you were to finish
11:21in the top eight it would mean two fewer fixtures next month, how much important would that
11:28be because there have been a lot of games and would it be a big deal?
11:33It is difficult to know it because sometimes to play matches is better because you can
11:39as well get a minute with some players or you can get as well more information and of
11:46course you have to compete and to beat the team you are facing and as well it could be
11:55good as well if we are in top eight to rest in two weeks trying to recover players, trying
12:04to work in the training session because when we are playing a lot of matches in a row and
12:09in different competitions the most difficult we can feel in our process and progress is
12:16less time or reducing time to work in the training session in our preparation but of
12:23course competing as well we have to try to practice in official matches and sometimes
12:29training practice is very good to try to get something tactically, individually developing
12:34in our structure or in our tactical idea or even but sometimes practicing playing matches
12:41in a row, official matches is as well a very good way to get it and of course we are playing
12:48on Sunday, we are playing tomorrow, we are playing on Saturday, we have some players
12:53but we have players, it's a new opportunity for some players they are getting less minutes
12:59or maybe some players they are not in good form like we want and tomorrow maybe they
13:05can add for them as well confidence and minutes to get it and this is the reason of course
13:12I want to get top eight because I think it's a good opportunity we have but not thinking
13:20only to reduce two matches, it's as well because we are in the next round directly.
13:27Unai you just touched on Celtic there saying they are a team with a winning mentality,
13:31do you expect them to come to Villapark and try and win the game and given the fact that
13:36they have already qualified to the knockout stages do you think they are a team that can
13:41seriously compete in this competition going forwards?
13:44Of course, my respect, start thinking and analysing their best performances collectively
13:55and individually and I have no doubt tomorrow they will come here to play trying to beat us.
14:05Unai can I just clarify what you said about Tyrone Mings at the start, so you hopefully
14:09might even be able to play tomorrow because on the weekend it looked like it was quite a bad injury.
14:15It's not a big injury but every day it's going to be very important how he can feel better
14:24or worse and we are going to train this afternoon, I am going to meet him, how he is feeling
14:30and of course we have one day more and we are playing out of matches, these are the
14:34difficulties we have but the players they can recover and the most important thing is
14:40at the beginning his injury is not a big injury and maybe he is not feeling so bad or painful
14:50to be ready for tomorrow, I don't know, I will see this afternoon.
14:56Just following up on that, we saw how upset he was on Sunday and obviously he has had
15:01problems with injuries, how much of a boost is it to him even psychologically that this is not
15:06another serious problem?
15:10But the players, they have to try individually at the beginning to do their best and then
15:23how we can manage in different moments or circumstances some players as well in our positioning
15:31or maybe some young players playing not consistently and maybe like a test for them,
15:41they have to play being positive, they have to play always supporting, helping even when we are
15:48making mistakes in the match, try always to support and to help and try to get collectively
15:56our good performances to try to be close to win and this is my mentality.
16:03And the players they have to, ok each one, I am playing, who is playing around me, ok, help,
16:09play in our structure, try to create our structure tactically as well to try to feel comfortable
16:16with the players there and this is always my first task with the team, with the players we have.
16:23And of course sometimes we want always the better players or the best performance,
16:28they are getting consistency to be ready to play, but not.
16:34And this is the moment as well as a coach, I have to try to develop myself, being positive,
16:41supporting and helping the players, getting good tactically in their best position each one
16:49and play, and play and this is the only way.
16:55Can I ask you about John McGinn, obviously growing up a Celtic fan,
16:59how desperate is he to be involved in this game and always coming back from injury
17:03and has he been telling everyone what to expect from Celtic?
17:07Of course for him maybe it's a special match, but for me as well it's a special match,
17:12I am not from Scotland, but it's very special because to play in Europe always is special,
17:17very special and I appreciate a lot to be in Europe, I appreciate to play against Spanish team,
17:23against Scottish team, against French team, Italian teams because it's fantastic to play in Europe
17:29and for him as well it's the same mentality I want of him.
17:33Special match against Young Boys, we played the first match in the Champions League this year
17:37or the first match we played at home against Bayern Munich and tomorrow against Celtic Glasgow.
17:43Can I just continue on John McGinn and just ask you about your relationship with John
17:49and how impressed you have been with John since you came here?
17:54Firstly, professional relationship, I want the best of him on the field.
17:59Then of course as a person, as a captain we can have better relationship,
18:05of course always through the respect between us, but firstly I want the best of him on the field,
18:13there, playing and doing his task and working and doing everything.
18:28Hello everyone, so we'll do a quick ten minutes with Jacob as well and a bit like with the manager,
18:54we'll operate hands up policy please and we've got mics to be passed around the room
18:59and we'll start with Mike at the back, so ten minutes whenever you're ready, fire away.
19:09Hello Jacob, you've played in lots of big games for your club,
19:14but for Champions League nights at Villapark, does that at all feel different?
19:18I think any Champions League game is always going to be a big game,
19:23especially at Villapark and tomorrow night we need the three points to try and get automatic qualification.
19:30It's going to be a tough match, I'm sure the Celtic fans will bring that atmosphere,
19:35but I know Villa fans are going to bring a great atmosphere and it's going to be a really good game.
19:40You've played a lot of games, you're not new to the team and you do all the professional things that you have to do,
19:47but can you allow yourself on nights like that just a moment to look up and take it all in?
19:52Of course, I think me personally from where I've come from, from the academy and to think when I was eight years old
20:01when I signed for Villa to be playing in Champions League at 23 years old at Villapark
20:06and my family and friends are in the stadium.
20:10I'm sure before the game when the music comes on and the anthem comes on,
20:15I'll be looking up to my family and friends and it's a pinch me moment really,
20:19but I think after that it's focus on the game.
20:22Back on the score sheet against West Ham, obviously you've had a bit of a frustrating last 12 months or so with injuries.
20:40First of all, how are you feeling and how great was it to get a goal?
20:44Yeah, it was really good to get that feeling again.
20:47I've not scored in a while at Villapark
20:49and I think in the past 12 months I've had three or four big injuries
20:54and hopefully now I've got my first goal in the Premier League.
20:58I can keep the numbers, keep playing, keep fit on the season.
21:03I think that's my main focus.
21:05I think whenever you come back from a big injury, it kind of takes three or four games to get back into it,
21:10to get back into your rhythm, back into the routine and I think I'm doing that right now.
21:16We saw Tyrone on the weekend. Unai just said his injury's not serious, which is great news,
21:21but what's it been like having him back?
21:24I think everyone feared the worst on Sunday when they first saw his reaction.
21:27What's it been like having him back on the team and how much of an influence has he been changing?
21:31Yeah, of course. I think when he came off, you could see how devastated he was.
21:37I think just before he came off, he tried to run a bit and I think the fans cheered him.
21:43I think that just shows how big he is for the team.
21:46Inside the dressing room, he's a big character and he's been here for five or six years now.
21:51He's a big leader and it's also good news that it's only a couple of weeks,
21:57so hopefully he can recover and get back inside the team.
22:01Jacob, you'll have known you've always been at a big club,
22:04but I guess when you were here in your teenage years,
22:08did you envisage playing Champions League football with Villa?
22:11Of course. I think Villa's a big club with big ambition.
22:17I think when I was in the youth team, that was when the new owners took over
22:22and it was quite clear that their ambition was to play in these big competitions
22:26and get in top four or whatever and play in these big games.
22:32But yeah, like I said, it's a pinch-me moment. I've got family and friends there tomorrow.
22:35I think for the first five minutes, it'll be surreal to hear their atmosphere again,
22:41but after that, just full focus on the game.
22:44What have your family said to you after these nights in the Champions League?
22:49Obviously, the Bayern Munich game was a really good game.
22:53Obviously, I got injured within the first 20 minutes,
22:56so it was a bit of a sticky one for me.
22:59But yeah, family and friends obviously always come to the game.
23:02Big atmosphere.
23:04And obviously, my parents are proud to see their son playing in big competitions.
23:10Finally, congratulations on the goal at the weekend.
23:13How much do you want a goal in the Champions League?
23:16I mean, I've already got one, to be fair, in the Young Bulls game,
23:20but I think getting a goal in the Champions League at Villa Park
23:23is obviously going to be something different with the atmosphere.
23:26So yeah, hopefully it comes tomorrow.
23:32Sorry, just a word on Celtic.
23:34Your thoughts on Brendan Rodgers' side coming into this one?
23:39Yeah, playing against Brendan Rodgers before when he was at Leicester,
23:43a really technical team, liked to pass the ball.
23:46I'm sure tomorrow they'll want to come and make a statement at Villa Park
23:50and try to impress people.
23:52It's going to be a really hard game, intense game, physical game.
23:58So yeah, we're looking forward to it.
24:00Is there a real desire to kind of remind people what a good player you are?
24:05Because 18 months ago, before the injuries, you were absolutely flying, weren't you?
24:08You were talking about potentially targeting the Euros with England.
24:11And you've obviously had a frustrating period then,
24:16so you want to show people, remind them how good you are?
24:20Yeah, I think before the Euros with the 21s,
24:25I feel in that six-month period when the boss first came in, I was flying.
24:27My numbers were really good, I looked confident.
24:32And probably since then, I haven't reached them levels.
24:36And hopefully the game on Sunday was a little glimpse of what's to come
24:41and hopefully I can get back to that level.
24:43I noticed Morgan has put on social media, twins.
24:46I mean, obviously he's come in 12 months ago and has flown,
24:50so he's almost a kind of a push you on as well
24:54when you've got both your similar age in the same team.
24:57Yeah, I think if you compare our two careers so far,
25:05I think obviously it is a difficult time,
25:07but the past 12 months he's been flying, there's no doubt about that.
25:10He's a top player.
25:12I think when you look at my 12 months, I've probably gone a little bit downhill.
25:16So yeah, me and Morgan are really close friends and I'm happy.
25:20I see the work that he does.
25:22He's a confident lad and he's flying.
25:27Can I just ask what John McGinn has been like this week
25:30and just his general kind of influence on the squad
25:34over these last couple of two or three years when he's been the captain?
25:37Yeah, John McGinn's a big character, one of my close friends here.
25:41Obviously, he's just come back from injury.
25:44I think after he got injured, he was devastated
25:47because obviously Celtic, he wanted to play in this game.
25:49And thankfully for him and the team, he's been training
25:53and got a few minutes on the weekend.
25:54So he'll be looking to get a few more minutes.
25:59He's obviously Scottish leg.
26:01He wants to play in this game.
26:03He'll have tonnes of tickets.
26:05He'll have his boxes full for friends and family.
26:08So yeah, I'm sure this game will mean a lot to him.
26:11Has he told you a lot about his affection for Celtic
26:14over the years before this tie was made?
26:17I think before he came to Villa, Celtic were in for him.
26:21And I think as a Celtic fan, when he was growing up,
26:24that says it all really.
26:26It's obviously a big game for him
26:28and a big game for Villa as well.
26:30Nick?
26:32You spoke about your last 12 months,
26:34but I wonder if I can take you back five years ago next week
26:37to when you made your debut for Doncaster at Tranmere.
26:40A little bit different from what might happen tomorrow,
26:42but I just wanted to talk us through your journey,
26:46your experiences over the last five years to get to this point.
26:48Yeah, obviously five years ago,
26:50I think I made my professional debut start for Doncaster.
26:54I think I scored two against Tranmere.
26:57Fast forward five years, I'm playing in the Champions League.
27:00It just shows how quick football can change
27:02and how your life can change.
27:04And hopefully tomorrow brings a good moment
27:07like it did five years ago.
27:09What's that borne out of?
27:11Obviously talent, but you need to have that application
27:13and that mental fortitude as well.
27:15What's been key for you over the last five years?
27:17Yeah, I think obviously, although I'm still 23,
27:21I'm still young in the football game,
27:23but I think I played a lot of football from my age.
27:25I know how football works.
27:27One minute you're 10 out of 10
27:29and the next minute you're three out of 10.
27:31So I think for me, from what I can take from five years ago
27:36and to now, just try and keep a level head,
27:39be humble. Football can change so quick
27:41and just take it each game.
27:44You scored twice, obviously,
27:45but what do you remember?
27:47What sort of standout, crystallising moment
27:49from that game at Prenton Park?
27:51The pitch. The pitch was terrible.
27:54I don't know if you've seen the footage or whatever.
27:57Totally different pitch to what I'll be playing in tomorrow,
28:01but they're just the kind of experiences that I've had.
28:05I've played in League One
28:07and tomorrow I'll be playing in the Chambers League.
28:09So yeah, fast forward five years,
28:11it's obviously different, completely different.
28:14Jacob, you know every single England-Scotland game
28:18is billed as the Battle of Britain.
28:20You said that Celtic are going to want to come
28:22and make a statement.
28:24Are you expecting a fast, frenetic, intense match?
28:27Is it going to be like a basketball match
28:29or is it going to be a more calculated affair,
28:31do you think?
28:33I'm not too sure, to be fair.
28:35The way we play,
28:37we don't really try and play that basketball game.
28:40We try and control the game with our passes,
28:41with our possession
28:43and try and dictate the intensity of the game.
28:47But it's hard to tell.
28:49Obviously Celtic will want to try and make an impression.
28:52I think they've already qualified for the next round.
28:55But like I said,
28:57England versus Scotland
28:59is going to be a really intense game,
29:01a physical game.
29:03But yeah, hopefully we can control the game
29:05and try and not make it a basketball game.
29:08Tom, last one please.
29:09Jacob, the type of midfielder you are
29:12to get beyond the ball into the box,
29:14as we saw at the weekend,
29:16maybe not so many of them around now
29:18as there was probably when I was your age,
29:20which is too long ago.
29:22Do you think that's an asset for you,
29:24that you have that kind of quality
29:26that maybe is a bit rarer than it was back in the day?
29:29Yeah, I think
29:31two, three years ago
29:33I was kind of playing in a different position
29:35to what I'm playing now in this formation
29:37and under this boss, I think.
29:39Back then I was kind of box-to-box,
29:41physical,
29:43late runs into the box
29:45and now I'm kind of linking
29:47in between the final third
29:49and the midfielders.
29:51But yeah, that's my game,
29:53just trying to run past people,
29:56be powerful,
29:58be explosive and get goals.
30:01Thank you everyone.
30:03Cheers.
30:06For those of you staying for open training,
30:07I'll probably pop back around.