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| Tuesday, 03 July 2012 13:02 |
Villas-Boas confirmed as Spurs bossPortuguese returns to England four months after sacking by Chelsea It was today confirmed that André Villas-Boas will be returning to the Premier League as the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, having signed a three-year deal worth around £12m with the North London club.
The appointment comes just four months after Villas-Boas was sacked by Spurs’ rivals Chelsea, only eight months into a three-year contract. The young manager struggled to win over the dressing room at Stamford Bridge, and paid the price as results failed to live up to Roman Abramovich’s expectations. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is said to have sought assurances from Villas-Boas that he learnt from his experience at Chelsea, and was rumoured to have been so impressed with the 34-year old’s interview that he did not pursue any other candidates for the job. As at Chelsea, Villas-Boas’ task will be to lower the average age of the squad while getting the team to play an attractive brand of football. Yet while the Portuguese manager was criticised for trying to change too much too quickly at Stamford Bridge, it appears that he will be given free reign during what looks set to be a summer of overhaul for Spurs. Despite having secured Welsh winger Gareth Bale on a four-year contract, it appears that several other big names are on the verge of leaving White Hart Lane. Tottenham are apparently resigned to losing Croatian international Luka Modric, who looks most likely to join Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Dutch playmaker Rafael van der Vaart has expressed a desire to return to Germany and club captain Ledley King is not expected to agree a new deal due to a persistent knee injury.  However, Levy is expected to show his faith in his new manager with a summer transfer fund in the region of £70m, allowing Villas-Boas to build a new squad and make his mark on the team in a way that was denied to him at Chelsea. Spurs are reportedly already close to completing deals for Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen, Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson and Marseille striker Loic Remy, and have also been linked with CSKA Moscow’s Alan Dzagoev and Manchester City’s Emmanuel Adebayor, who played for the club on loan last season. Meanwhile, Villas-Boas is said to be eyeing up some transfer targets of his own. Portugal international João Moutinho is said to be top of his list, as well as Moutinho’s teammate Álvaro Pereira, both of whom played under Villas-Boas at Porto. He is also believed to be interested in Brazilian midfielder Oscar, as well as former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge and Argentine international Gonzalo Higuaín, who could move to White Hart Lane as part of a swap deal for Luka Modric. Villas-Boas’ first objective will be to ensure qualification for the Champions League, an achievement that ironically eluded Spurs last season after Roberto di Matteo, Villas-Boas’ assistant-turned-successor at Stamford Bridge, guided Chelsea to an unlikely victory in the competition, rendering Tottenham’s fourth place finish meaningless. The 34-year old is said to be determined to succeed in England and repair the damage that he suffered to his reputation while at Chelsea, so much so that he is sacrificing an £11m pay-off from his former employers by accepting the post at Tottenham.  Villas-Boas shot to fame in Portugal, where he was made manager of Porto after an impressive spell with Académica de Coimbra. In his only full season in charge to date, he won an unprecedented quadruple with the Dragons during 2010/11, including winning the league title by twenty-one points during an undefeated season and defeating Braga in the final of the Europa League, making him the youngest ever manager to win a European competition. Villas-Boas will be able to count on the support of his aides José Maria Rocha and Daniel Sousa at White Hart Lane, while the appointment of former Tottenham player Tim Sherwood in the role of Director of Football ought to allow the Portuguese coach to concentrate on achieving success on the pitch. Having endured such a torrid time at Chelsea, all eyes will be on the young manager to see if he can succeed this time around at Tottenham and win round players and fans alike, many of whom were surprised to see Harry Redknapp sacked last month. Expectation will certainly be higher than ever as Spurs look to secure a place amongst the elite of English football under his guidance. One thing is for sure, he is certainly not one to shy away from a challenge. by Tom Clee |
On my first post I stated that the Spurs didn't have the appeal, world wide, or the crazy owner that brings in a ton of cash.
On my second post I did state they had very good sponsorship deals, and being in London helps. I mentioned Arsenal due to the fact that the Spurs have a better jersey sponsorship deal than Arsenal. Arsenal signed a long term deal years ago that isn't up yet, and by today's standards is low.
As for overall finances and world wide appeal, the Spurs can't touch Arsenal.
That's why I said this is going to be really tough spot for AVB. The pressure to get CL play and money will be huge. If things don't break right, he could find himself mid table and under fire once again. And this time there won't be an owner to blame.
In getting back to Arsenal, they have there own issues now. The last three players to leave have stated its to go to win trophies. That's not a good thing. They may have CL play and money, but they've begun losing players on the players terms and not the managers. This has also undercut the value/transfer fee that they can get. I think that the most troubling thing is that there seems to be no plan B in place. Although everyone knew Cesc and Nasri (Cesc's replacement at midfield) were both going to leave, nobody was brought in or set up as replacement. Arteta was a last minute and necessary transfer.
As for RvP this season, Podolski can't possibly be the answer. Not good enough.
This is another failier for AVB waiting to happen, AVB should have waitied and managed in Portugual, Spain or Italy before coming back to England to Manage again. The UK media are ready and waiting to eat AVB alive again. So sad for an up and coming top Portuguese manager but it's his stupid choice that will bring down again
Having £70m to play with should allow AVB to bring in some real talent. If he can land some of the players mentioned in the article like Moutinho, Higuain, Sturridge and Dzagoev (who looked really good in the Euro), Tottenham could be a real threat for the Premier league title, let alone a CL spot.
I think it would be a great move for Moutinho that would really allow him to make a name for himself in one of Europe's best leagues and improve his game by playing more difficult competition on a more regular basis. Higuain would also do well to leave Real where he is just wasted on the bench, despite being one of the best strikers in Europe.
So I wish AVB all the best and hope he succeeds in England. How great would it be to see his Tottenham team thrash Chelsea next season?
Meaning that without CL play it's hard to get game changers to come. They will be stuck with failed or unwanted stars from others teams. Sometimes that could be a very god thing, as we saw with Ade.
For me it's a similar situation as Chelsea's for AVB. Chelsea needed to win league/CL spot and CL Title. The Spurs have as much pressure in getting a CL spot. Their team is also older than people care to admit.
Although the Spurs have improved and are located in London, they could be contending for a CL spot or find themselves mid table if things don't fall right for them.
As for he new stadium, we'll see.
I actually liked watching the Spurs. If anything I thought they should have been even better than they were. I thought that Redknapp should have gotten more out of this team.
Wishing you much success at your new club!
We'll be cheering for you and your new club from
B.C., Canada
Spurs also have a tradition of attacking football, so AVB's approach will suit the club. At Chelsea he was trying to change things dramatically and make them into an attacking team. The truth is Chelsea have been a defensive, counter-attacking side since the days of Mourinho...even longer come to think of it, since the days of Ranieri!
If Spurs can hold on to some key players and make some good signings, they should realistically aim for a top 4 finish, and prioritise winning the Europa League. If either of those were achieved it would be a succesfull first season for AVB at the club. Rumours are strong about Moutinho joining him. Personally I don't think it would be the best move for Moutinho. He proved himself at the Euros to be one of the best midfielders in Europe, so I think if he leaves Porto he should join a club that's regularly in the CL and fighting for titles. As for AVB I wish him all the best. I see him as a future Seleccao coach so it's important for him to get more experience at a high level..
Interesting article and I was keen to add some points against the comment posted.
I don't think it's the same situation at all for AVB. Going to Chelsea meant he had to win the Prem and or the UCL and win with style but he also (alledgedly) had the remit to revamp the squad to replace the old guard. He does not have to do this as much at Spurs...
The Fans:
Spurs fans are generally purists, they want to see the game won with fast flowing technical football pulling the opposition all over the park, slicing through them and scoring great goals. We managed to see this occur quite a few times under Redknapp however games cannot always be played and won in this fashion, (just ask Arsenal fans). The main issue for Spurs fans, (along with any other Redknapp team such as West Ham, Portsmouth, etc.) is that "Arry" never had a plan B in case his initial strategy failed.
From talking to my mates and scouring blogs/boards, etc. the appointment of AVB is mixed for the Spurs faithful. Some welcome it with open arms, others hate the idea given his performance for Chelsea (or inability to have them perform for him). If he can bring the flowing stylish football along with the points, (especially against Arsenal/Chelsea), bring in a few high profile players such as Moutinho (as the press are talking about), keep Modric, then I think he'll be a fans favorite very soon.
Players:
One of the biggest criticisms towards Redknapp is that he did not rotate the players enough over the course of the season. This leads to fatigue, injuries and loss of form not to mention disgruntled players. Look at Krancjar, Dos Santos, Defoe, etc...
There will be quite a few more leaving before the transfer window is over. I do not expect Huddlestone or Ekotto to be in that list. Ekotto is one of the most improved Left backs in the Prem, cool on the ball and capable of the odd goal along with good crosses. The Hud is a hugh player for us when he's fully fit. People talk of his Hoddle like passing abilities and for that I'd like to see him stick around. Defoe is a natural goalscorer but inconsistent and probably should be used tactically against slower opposition or as the impact sub. Will that keep him happy? Probably not but then you can't keep everyone happy all the time.
VDV is a fantastically creative player who on his day will be in any team. His tracking back and defensive work rate has improved this year (he was at fault for several goals conceded). I think he will only leave if A) The offer is right and B) AVB does not believe he is the type of player for his plans.
Europa vs. Top 4:
In England the Europa league is simply not seen as a viable competition and the top Prem teams tend to play youngsters to give them the experience. Personally I believe you should try to win every trophy however with the punishing premier league fixture lists the team needs to be rotated to keep the team fresh. I'm convinced Redknapp's inability to chase the Europa would have pissed Levy off and AVB will go for it.
The Press:
They will be itching for him to mess up. They Love "arry" and you can bet they will be sharpening their knives. I generally hate them however they will make his life difficult, I only hope he and the players just get on with it. Results will shut them up... Get the results and they will be good...
Summing Up:
I agree we do not have the Crazy owners but disagree that we do not have the appeal. We are a sleeping giant that has started to improve year on year (over the last 5 years excluding the Ramos Experiment).
Lots of exciting young players, world class and I mean WORLD CLASS training facilities just built, new stadium on the horizon and the potential to challenge the top teams in England and abroad over the next few years.
For me, his acceptance of the job shows me the measure of the man. Eager to prove the critics in England wrong, eager to demonstrate he is a class manager...
Welcome to Spurs AVB, long may you reign :D
Im excited for this move i hope Vilas Boas does well and takes some portuguese players with him, we need more in the preier league!
I was truly surprised Bale extended his deal, but I also thought he regressed last season.
Van de Vaart played well, but couldn't seem to handle whole matches and will most likely be gone.
In Modric, I think the situation is kind of iffy. He wants out, but I don't think he's Real quality. He would be a sub there. If he does go, I don't think he'll command as much as its been mentioned. If he stays, he'll be disgruntled due to CL and/or wages.
They have a older squad with several other disgruntled guys, Ekotto, Huddlestone and Defoe come to mind. But they are older and should be moved, but I don't think they'll command much in transfer fees.
Ade could turn on a club at any time, but in my opinion he would be a good get. Preferably on loan, once again.
For me the Spurs are one of those clubs that should be in Europa every year and actually try to contend in it. Every once in a while they could sneak into the CL. They have good sponsorship money coming in and good following, but they just don't have the appeal or crazy owner like the Man United, City and Chelsea have. They could contend for that 4th spot with Arsenal and maybe Liverpool every season, which wouldn't be a bad thing.
Redknapp is the type of manager that just rolls the ball out there. He's old school, where he obtains good players and lets them do their thing. Bale regressed and the team ultimately didn't get it done.
My concern for Villa Boas is the same as it was before. Did Porto have more to do with Villa Boas success than his managerial prowess?
He's walked into as difficult situation as Chelsea but in a smaller scale. Meaning the funds just might not come unless things break perfectly. Also, should he fail and get canned, the money he's owed will be contested, unlike at Chelsea where Abram would just pay.
In my opinion, his agent set up an awful deal for him upon his firing at Chelsea. He should have gotten a bulk of remainder up front with the remainder amount to come in installments should he not take on another job. The way it's set up he will see nothing from that Chelsea deal that could of very well damaged his future earning potential.