In the Premier League, only Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Antonio Conte could reasonably claim not to be envious of Unai Emery's CV.
Emery has coached in three of Europe's top five leagues and won one domestic league title and four of five major European finals.
As recently as May, Emery's Villarreal were going toe-to-toe with Klopp's Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals.
Yet Emery is returning to England with a side battling against relegation – as he might have done 12 months ago when he was Newcastle United's top target.
Although the Spaniard's two most recent Europa League successes came in finals against Liverpool and Manchester United, he is best recognised in the Premier League as an ultimately underwhelming Arsenal manager, far since surpassed by Mikel Arteta.
So rather than contenders who might realistically allow Emery to immediately add to his trophy haul, it was Aston Villa – only a point clear of the bottom three – who came calling as he makes his latest move with a point to prove.
This is a gamble, just as it would have been a year ago had Emery gone through with the switch to St James' Park.
But he is at least joining a club who, like Newcastle, intend to return to the level at which their new head coach is used to operating.
Former Villa boss Steven Gerrard spoke at the start of the season of the need to "reach for the stars" – an ambition that was not achieved as his side lost six of their 11 league matches before he was sacked.
Gerrard had fallen short of his aim of "continuous improvement", Villa chief executive Christian Purslow said, and it is to that standard that Emery will also be held.
Fourth-placed Newcastle's progress under Eddie Howe – their second-choice when the Emery deal fell through – perhaps provides the template.
Indeed, Howe's Newcastle kindly exposed last Saturday the scale of the task before Emery at Villa Park if he is to again display his almost unmatched expertise in continental competition.
A 4-0 thrashing on Tyneside brought Villa back down to Earth after the previous week's demolition of Brentford by the same scoreline. The defeat was more in keeping with the mood around this team.
Villa have earned a joint-low two away points in the Premier League this season, while they have only recovered two points from losing positions home or away. For all the talent in this squad, they are far too prone to collapse.
When Callum Wilson's penalty in first-half stoppage time broke Villa's resolve, they never looked like regaining any measure of control. Wilson had another goal disallowed before the half-time whistle sounded, teeing up a second period in which Newcastle were swiftly four up.
Despite Tyrone Mings' criticism of Villa's "naivety" in attacking while goals flew in at the other end, the visitors' final attempt of the match came in the 29th minute.
Emery does not have a great deal of time to drill his methods into the team if they are to quickly kick clear of danger before the World Cup.
After his first few days on the training pitch, the first task is Manchester United at home, followed by the same team again at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup.
Meetings with United might remind Emery of Europa League glory; for Villa fans, there will be fears of further punishment.
Meanwhile, Emery will enjoy no Emirates Stadium return in the Premier League this season, with Villa having already lost at Arsenal in August, although Arteta's men are to visit Villa Park in mid-February.
Results on Saturday could see Villa in the bottom three before Emery takes charge, as Arsenal aim to protect their place at the top of the table against Chelsea.
By the time Emery meets his former employers and successor Arteta in league action, he and Villa need that picture to have altered considerably.
Pochettino urges Chelsea players to have more self-belief
Mauricio Pochettino has reminded his team to respect themselves as they prepare for another tough game against Aston Villa on Saturday.
After being knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City last Saturday, the Blues were thrashed 5-0 by title-chasing Arsenal in midweek for their 11th defeat of the season.
Chelsea still have an outside chance of finishing in the top seven as they sit just three points behind Newcastle United with two games in hand.
Asked if his side are capable of putting the disappointment of their last two results behind them, Pochettino said: “Lack of belief, in the circumstances, sometimes happens.
“We tried to realise how we need to behave when the game is tough when the demands are so high. We need to try and be more strong and to trust in the way that we play, in our philosophy, in the way we prepare the games.
“We need to be positive, and we need to be strong and believe tomorrow we can have a good game, good attitude, good approach. We are going to compete again with another team, fighting for the top. We need to think we are Chelsea and respect ourselves."
RFEF elects Rocha as new president
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed Pedro Rocha as its new president.
Rocha has been elected as Luis Rubiales' replacement, despite being under investigation for corruption.
He had been serving as interim president since Rubiales resigned in September over the scandal caused when he kissed player Jenni Hermoso following Spain's Women's World Cup triumph in August.
In a statement released on Friday, the RFEF said: "Pedro Rocha has today been proclaimed the new president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), after having received the support of the majority of the assembly members of this institution that governs Spanish football.
"The process followed the procedure agreed by the Electoral Commission, which met this morning, and the timetable that was established for these elections."
Rocha has been under investigation since earlier in April, after the RFEF's headquarters was raided by police last month. The Spanish government announced on Thursday that it would be stepping in to oversee the running of the organisation.
'It's a poor season, not a poor football club' – Blades boss Wilder
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has defended Sheffield United, acknowledging it has been a bad season, but dismissing that the Blades do not have a positive future.
A midweek defeat to Manchester United means the Blades can be relegated back to the Championship should they lose to Newcastle United on Saturday.
The Blades are 10 points from safety with four games left, but even a point would not realistically be enough given they have a goal difference of -59, 41 worse than Nottingham Forest’s -18.
To make matters worse, the Blades will start their next season in the Championship with a two-point deduction for financial discrepancies.
"We're not saying everything is great," said Wilder.
"What we are saying is there is a load of optimism about the future of the football club.
"It's a poor season, not a poor football club. We've been in far worse positions than this as a football club, certainly over my time as a supporter, player and manager.
"So, we'll come again if the inevitable happens on the weekend. We'll try our best, as we did, like we did on Wednesday night at Old Trafford, to get a result for our club and our supporters – who yet again were magnificent."
Newcastle, meanwhile, are in the hunt for European football, and Eddie Howe wants a response following the 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in midweek.
Howe said: "We must learn and absorb all the lessons from Wednesday. Every game is so difficult, it is up to us to go into the game with the right mentality and let our players express themselves in the right way. We have to finish the season strongly, we are under no illusions on how important these fixtures are."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Newcastle United – Alexander Isak
Isak has scored in each of his last six Premier League home games, with only Andrew Cole (eight in 1993-94) and Alan Shearer (15 in 1996-97) netting in more consecutively for Newcastle in the competition.
Sheffield United – Ben Brereton Diaz
Brereton Diaz scored in Sheff Utd’s 4-2 defeat at Old Trafford – his fifth Premier League goal of the season since he joined on loan from Villarreal in January. With Oli McBurnie set to miss the rest of the season, Diaz will be the Blades’ biggest attacking threat.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE UNITED WIN
Newcastle are overwhelming favourites, and it is no surprise given Howe have lost just one of their last 25 Premier League games kicking off at 3pm on Saturday (W16 D8), going down 1-0 at Luton Town earlier this season.
The Magpies have scored in all 17 of their Premier League home games this season, with their 43 goals in total their most at St James’ Park in a top-flight campaign since 1996-97 (54).
Newcastle have lost none of their eight Premier League home games against promoted sides under Howe (W3 D5), with their last such defeat coming against Leeds United under Steve Bruce in January 2021. They also beat Sheffield United 8-0 in the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane – the most goals they have ever scored against an opponent in a single Premier League campaign is 10, doing so against the Blades’ rivals Sheffield Wednesday in 1999-00.
The Blades have lost three of their four Premier League away games against Newcastle, failing to score in each defeat. The exception was a 1-0 victory under Neil Warnock in November 2006.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Newcastle United – 71.6%
Sheffield United – 9.7%
Draw – 18.7%
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