Former Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has praised the club's transformation under Unai Emery, stating there is 'zero comparison' between the team's current success and his own tenure. Lambert, who managed Villa between 2012 and 2015, believes the club bears little resemblance to the one he left behind.
A period of struggle
Lambert's time at Villa Park was marked by financial constraints under owner Randy Lerner, with the club fighting to maintain Premier League status while slimming the wage bill. Recruitment drives often yielded more failures than successes, with Christian Benteke being a rare highlight, sold for four times his purchase price after a goal-laden spell.
Infrastructure key to success
Lambert credited the current ownership, NSWE, for creating a strong infrastructure that has enabled success. 'There's no comparison. It's great to see the club the way it should be – the fan base, the stadium, the training ground, the manager – it’s all fantastic,' he said. 'Unai Emery has been a revelation. When he went to Arsenal, everybody thought he was no good, but he did fantastically with Sevilla and unbelievably with Aston Villa.'
Lambert emphasized the importance of unity and infrastructure: 'I always think if the infrastructure is really good above you, then you've got a chance. When I was at Villa, we had to sell people to get money in, and the owner wanted to sell the club. It became so difficult. Now there's a lot of unity. Aston Villa have unity, and it’s an incredible club.'
