Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[DubaiSpur]

Its simple.

Lets try and win games not just try not to lose them.

Bring back the entertainment. Turgidocity aint working.

I accept we have key players missing (and didnt get other potential ones) but it is the attitude of mind that is so depressing at the moment.

I am prepared to give AVB time, but I just want to be entertained. At the moment I am not being entertained but rather being kicked in the gut on a regular basis.

Please please please can AVB note the Tottenham motto "To dare is to do" and act accordingly.

I want the manner of performance to improve and to have a team to be proud of. Moyes, on much smaller resourses and much inferior players, (even compared to the ones we have uninjured) has created a great team ethos and never say die approch which has paid dividends. We could do worse than take a leaf out of their book in this regard.

Yep. Moyes also had ten years to do so. AVB has had four months, give or take a bit.

Being entertained is subjective. Scoring from a flowing move but losing 4-1 due to defensive errors may be entertaining, but it sure as hell isn't fun. Neither is playing stylishly and with freedom against United and then losing 3-0 because they're more clinical than us.

I understand your concerns, but there's really not much more we can expect from AVB at this point in time. With the resources he has and the task he's trying to accomplish, there's little doubt that he's got a very difficult job on his hands. I said before that I'd give him six to eight months before I make a snap choice on whether he can move us forward or if he's just dragged us back. I stand by that. By March or April, once our injured lads return and the players are a bit more used to AVB's system, we'll see if he's the real deal. Now, it's too soon to judge, or expect.

 

[Baleforce]

i've read quite a few football manager biographies, i've witnessed quite a few new managers arrive at WHL, in every one of these cases the managers first move has been to stop the rot, AVB is doing the same

 

[Mulletperm]

What rot?

Getting 4th and playing attractive attacking football that had the media calling us the team in the league who plays the best football? Is that the rot you're referring to? Yes the final few months under Redknapp were disappointing, but we were certainly not in freefall. Losing Modric was disappointing, and the jury is still out as to what happened with VdV but I certainly wouldn't call us having 'rot' at the club at the end of the season.

 

[DubaiSpur]

What rot?

Getting 4th and playing attractive attacking football that had the media calling us the team in the league who plays the best football? Is that the rot you're referring to? Yes the final few months under Redknapp were disappointing, but we were certainly not in freefall. Losing Modric was disappointing, and the jury is still out as to what happened with VdV but I certainly wouldn't call us having 'rot' at the club at the end of the season.

Let's recap;

Spurs flying, ten points ahead of Arsenal in 3rd place, having just demolished Saudi Sportswashing Machine 5-0
Harry for England rumors start up
Spurs hit catastrophically poor run of form, losing ten-point lead to Arsenal and getting destroyed 5-1 by Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final
Spurs end up finishing fourth on the final day of the season, having led Arsenal for large portions of the campaign
Chelsea end up winning the Champions League, condemning Spurs to Europa League footie
Harry demands new contract, having turned it down when it was offered to him in February
Levy loses patience, sacks Harry
leaves club in disarray, with Modric intent on leaving and VdV being enticed by Hamburg. Ade leaves after loan spell and King, long-standing stalwart of the club, retires.
We are left with one senior striker, the impending departure of our key midfielders, no coach, no Champions League and general disappointment.

It may not have been 'rot', as galeforce put it, but there was certainly a downward trend.

 

[DHSF]

Let's recap;

Spurs flying, ten points ahead of Arsenal in 3rd place, having just demolished Saudi Sportswashing Machine 5-0
Harry for England rumors start up
Spurs hit catastrophically poor run of form, losing ten-point lead to Arsenal and getting destroyed 5-1 by Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final
Spurs end up finishing fourth on the final day of the season, having led Arsenal for large portions of the campaign
Chelsea end up winning the Champions League, condemning Spurs to Europa League footie
Harry demands new contract, having turned it down when it was offered to him in February
Levy loses patience, sacks Harry
leaves club in disarray, with Modric intent on leaving and VdV being enticed by Hamburg. Ade leaves after loan spell and King, long-standing stalwart of the club, retires.
We are left with one senior striker, the impending departure of our key midfielders, no coach, no Champions League and general disappointment.

It may not have been 'rot', as galeforce put it, but there was certainly a downward trend.

We talk about loyalty but we are hardly the most loyal of clubs.

What we have to understand is Managers are in it for themselves as much as players. Do you think AVB is loyal? Did he not jump ship as soon as chelscum arrived?

Ultimately we cant complain if the England Managers job is up for grabs and our existing Manager is interested - how he 'kittend' himself out may have been OTT (Although not sure how he had kittend himself out)

There was a downward trend from then on but this could easily very easily have been mitigated over the summer. Instead we have allowed our existing squad level to drop, spunk 60m on players (which may or may not have been AVBs choices) and I would actually argue set back two or three years maybe four years back

 

[ArcspacE]

Very few people had issues with him taking the England job - it is the way he went about trying to apply himself which was the crux of the matter

For the last time

 

[DHSF]

Very few people had issues with him taking the England job - it is the way he went about trying to apply himself which was the crux of the matter

For the last time

And for the last time what did he do that made it out like 'he went about trying to apply himself'? Every time he had a question all he said was 'good to be linked' or stuff like that.

And in all seriousness as a club we can hardly talk

 

[ArcspacE]

All you have to do is compare to how Hodgson went about it during those 3-odd months.

He did us and we did him back. Gone for good and let's move on

 

[Leeds Spur]

What rot?

Getting 4th and playing attractive attacking football that had the media calling us the team in the league who plays the best football? Is that the rot you're referring to? Yes the final few months under Redknapp were disappointing, but we were certainly not in freefall. Losing Modric was disappointing, and the jury is still out as to what happened with VdV but I certainly wouldn't call us having 'rot' at the club at the end of the season.

2nd half of the season obviously passed you by

 

[a spur from swansea]

Very few people had issues with him taking the England job - it is the way he went about trying to apply himself which was the crux of the matter

For the last time

Any chance of some quotes from harry tarting for the england job instead of internet hear say. Its easy to make things up,could say i heard harry didn't want the job and wanted to stay really.

Levy wanted him out regardless of the england job,instead of of being chirldish levy should have manned up offered harry another two years with clause after a year if no champs league football he be out.

The club is far more important that egos.

 

[Mulletperm]

2nd half of the season obviously passed you by

Selective reading?

 

[ArcspacE]

Levy wanted him out regardless of the england job.

Can you possibly offer some logical explanation as to why he'd do that considering his record up to then and the fact we were sitting 3rd at the time, 10 points ahead.

Are you suggesting Levy wanted him out even before the season started? That is bizarre to say the least.

 

[ArcspacE]

Selective reading?

You said we were never in 'freefall' - something which is well off the mark, imv

 

[ArcspacE]

Any chance of some quotes from harry tarting for the england job instead of internet hear say. Its easy to make things up,could say i heard harry didn't want the job and wanted to stay really.

Said numerous times he could never say no should the oppotunity arise. Just Google some old news, etc.

The countless pre-meditated interviews - that's all they spoke about. All the time.

Sonny doing his bit in the press, gunning for daddy

Etc.

He generated as much media attention on himself as possible before Levy and our PR team stepped in with damage control but it seemed to late. The dressing room was disturbed and evey player and his fudging dog knew Arry would be on his way should they come in for him. So what the hell they supposed to do? Would he leave now? Would he wait for May? What about transfers? CL? Contract extension? They all loved him, remember (well, at least the 13 players he played every single week)

Now go and compare all this media tossathon and window interviews to Hodgson' behaviour over those 3 months

 

[DHSF]

You said we were never in 'freefall' - something which is well off the mark, imv

Were we in free fall?

Youre basing the decline of the second half of the season on results solely. Our performances were still fairly good barring one or two really bricky ones. We were still creating chances and opportunities the only difference was that Ade, VDV and Defoe etc did not have shooting boots on. We were still creating and statistics always showed around 20 shots on goal etc. Perfect example was QPR away it wasnt the best performance but QPR barely created and stats showed we had 20 on goal and majority of possession. We be lucky to get two or three now and lucky to even compete int he possession statistics.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Can you possibly offer some logical explanation as to why he'd do that considering his record up to then and the fact we were sitting 3rd at the time, 10 points ahead.

Are you suggesting Levy wanted him our even before the season started?

Wasn't Redknapp offered a new contract when we were sitting third and he'd just been cleared in his court case? Think Levy needs some work on his "getting rid of manager when he wants them out" skills ! Seems like that would be the opposite of wanting them out wouldn't it?

 

[DHSF]

Said numerous times he could never say no should the oppotunity arise. Just Google some old news, etc.

The countless pre-meditated interviews - that's all they spoke about. All the time.

Sonny doing his bit in the press, gunning for daddy

Etc.

He generated as much media attention on himself as possible before Levy our PR team stepped in with damage control but it seemed to late. The dressing room was disturbed and evey player and his fudging dog knew Arry would be on his way should they come in for him. So what the hell they supposed to do?

Now go and compare all this media tossathon and window interviews to Hodgson' behaviour over those 3 months

He didnt say HE wouldnt reject it he said WHO would reject - obviously harry was being a touch cute with the responses but still stands.

 

[ArcspacE]

The club is far more important that egos.

I believe you've answered your own question with that line

Levy is the club. The other was a paid empolyee with a specific task who destabilsed his own foundataion and attempted blame his boss for it. And that's about it really, mate.

 

[ArcspacE]

He didnt say HE wouldnt reject it he said WHO would reject

What are you replying to - your response is hard to follow

 

[ArcspacE]

Wasn't Redknapp offered a new contract when we were sitting third and he'd just been cleared in his court case? Think Levy needs some work on his "getting rid of manager when he wants them out" skills ! Seems like that would be the opposite of wanting them out wouldn't it?

I don't remember anything about a new contract being offered - perhaps someone else could shed some light.