The skipper, who made his 500th career appearance in the draw with Liverpool, has been a key figure under Emery’s leadership.
McGinn previously admitted his stock was low when Emery arrived but believes the manager’s influence has transformed his role at Villa.
He explained to TNT Sports: "He said the other day that he hates me sometimes. I said that I hate him. We don’t. We’ve got a love-hate relationship. He’s very demanding, ever since he came in. I’m so grateful for him, because at that time, my stock at Villa was at its lowest.
"But the manager looked at things with his own eyes and decided that I could be a big part of his plans, and he showed massive belief in me. He trusts me. He’s very, very hard on me. I don’t know whether that’s because I’m captain and he knows that I can take it. I’m used to that with Neil Lennon and other managers I’ve had up the road.
“I’m used to getting criticised in front of everyone. He is very hard on me, but I feel like I’m learning all the time and he knows that if I’m needed to play left-back, up front, right mid, left mid, he knows that he can rely on me.
"The last few games, I’ve been centre mid, which is a very demanding position in his system. It’s been very different. For me to learn off someone of that stature and his achievements in the game has been first-class.
"He understands me a bit more. When he asks me to speak to the dressing room, he says to be calm and slow. He’s been amazing and hopefully, he’s here for many years to come."