Graham Potter’s arrival as West Ham head coach has received emphatic support from his Aston Villa counterpart Unai Emery.
Potter was appointed by the Hammers on a two-and-a-half year contract this morning, with his first game in charge taking place tomorrow evening when West Ham travel to Villa in the third round of the FA Cup.
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His arrival adds an element of intrigue to an all-Premier League tie which pits eighth-placed Villa against a 14th-placed West Ham side.
Emery expects former Brighton and Chelsea boss Potter to improve the London club’s fortunes.
He said: “West Ham have some very good players, they’re a good club too. It’s not good news when they change managers, but of course there is now an opportunity for him and we are going to respect West Ham and we are going to respect Graham Potter because he was successful when he was manager here in England. I think he’s going to do a good job.
FA Cup misfortune for Emery
Villa enjoyed huge success under Emery, but the FA Cup provided few highlights.
In his first season in charge his side were stunned by lower league Stevenage, while last year they lost in a fourth round replay at home to Chelsea.
Asked if he found it frustrating, the Spaniard added: “It depends, because the circumstances were at that time. We didn’t get anything in the FA Cup, but it was a process. I didn’t really think it was a frustration. When you lose, it’s frustrating, but of course, that’s football.
“We start this year in the current circumstances, and tomorrow the idea is to try to be competitive and try to start performing better than the last two years, trying to get through this competition, an option for a trophy and an option for a trophy for Europe.
Villa will be without captain John McGinn tomorrow night as the Scotland international is still dealing with the hamstring injury he suffered against Leicester at the weekend.
