Robbie Fowler wouldn’t mind 51-year-old PL boss succeeding Klopp at Liverpool

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Robbie Fowler has suggested that he thought that he would not have minded Liverpool targeting Unai Emery when there was speculation about Jurgen Klopp’s position last season.

Fowler was speaking to the Sunday Mirror (30/7; page 74), as he lauded the impact the Spaniard has had since taking the Aston Villa job last season.

Unai Emery has had an interesting time working in England. Of course, his first taste of working in the Premier League came when he took the Arsenal job, succeeding Arsene Wenger.

Emery was never quite able to silence his doubters. And he came in for a lot of unfair criticism during his time at the Emirates.

However, he is certainly shutting a lot of people up with his work at Villa Park. The Villans were on the periphery of a Premier League relegation battle when he took over from Steven Gerrard. And he went on to lead the side to qualifying for the Europa Conference League.

Fowler would’ve been happy with Emery at Liverpool if Klopp had left

It should not have come as a surprise. The 51-year-old has won the Europa League four times in his career. Meanwhile, he won plenty during his time with PSG.

And Fowler suggested that he would have been content to see him in contention if Liverpool had needed a replacement for their manager last season.

“I’ve always liked Unai Emery, who took over at Villa Park in October. I know he didn’t do that well at Arsenal, although, under him, they did reach the Europa League final where they lost to Chelsea,” he told the Sunday Mirror (30/7; page 74).

“What he didn’t deserve was to be mocked at times at the Emirates for struggling to make himself understood with his less-than-perfect English. That was completely unfair and the wrong perception of a man who, I have thought for some time, is a top, top manager.

“So much so that when, at one stage last season, there was some talk of Jurgen Klopp possibly leaving Liverpool, I’m thinking to myself I wouldn’t mind Emery as the next Liverpool boss. I can’t pay a bigger compliment to him than that.”

It is going to be fascinating to see how Aston Villa fare next season. Their top-half finish took many by surprise given their start to the campaign. And juggling European commitments with a Premier League schedule is not always easy for sides.

But Villa have big ambitions. They are a heavyweight in the top-flight. And they have the means to reach that level in the coming years.

In Emery, they have a manager who will back himself to handle that challenge. So it could be a seriously exciting period for the club.

But if Villa are going to edge further up the table, there is likely to be interest in Emery. And Liverpool are one side set to face an absolutely massive managerial decision in the next few years.