Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[Jurgen the German]

What is improvement?

Is it placing higher in the league?
Winning something?
Playing better football (if so, who decides what is good football?)?

I think many of your opponents in this debate will have different answers.

I don't think we will improve our place in the league for next season. But I am confident we will match it. I do not fear Liverpool, Saudi Sportswashing Machine or Chelsea. Arsenal will be there anyway, but I am confident we'll finish in the top 4.

Harry did great service to Tottenham, there is no denying that. But the way he handled the off-pitch media circus after Capello left ruined everything he did with the team for me. He went from being a man I could enjoy to a man I could not stand. His interviews from the car I could smile and laugh about before, but after I learnt that he really just wanted to screw us over and go for the England job everything was tainted, it made me sad, frustrated and above all else, it made me ashamed to have him as manager for the club I love.

As for your request for sticking colors to the mast, why would anyone do that? Noone can predict a season of 38 games anyway.

You seem disappointed to me, disappointed Harry was sacked, and I can understand that, but I can't agree for the reason above; he killed his own character as I experienced it as a fan.

What I don't understand is why AVB and HR need to be compared to the extent that is done here. It is not AVB the villain who sacked HR, that was the board. And they did so because he betrayed the club by selling himself to the FA, and then came back demanding more. If we finish this season fifth it won't prove that the club made the wrong decision, it will prove we need find a way to finish higher the following season.

Again; sacking HR had nothing to do with results. It couldn't have had, that would be madness. And that is also why it was right; it was done because the club couldn't go on with him after what he did.

If someone is to stick colors to the mast why would it have to be after AVBs first season when you want to compare it to HR's last? The board won't compare them like that because they didn't sack HR over where the team finished, so why should we?

I would be happy with top 4.

But some posters have claimed that they would be happy with 7th which I find incredibly small time and very hypocritical because 5th wasn't good enough for two of the last three managers of this club, why should 7th be acceptable? Do they really think Bale is going to stick around if we finish below 5th?

Some have also claimed that Liverpool will be a big threat and we shouldn't be surprised if they finish above us as they have underachieved in recent years. There is a reason why they have finished so low in the league by their standards..... they are not very good.

 

[Little Luka]

But some posters have claimed that they would be happy with 7th.

That's not good enough for me either. We are not in a transition season or in any kind of trouble. I expect us to stay put, and to be honest I don't think it takes all that much of the manager to achieve that with the squad we have/will have. And that is also why I don't fear AVB will be the doom of this club. Just like I didn't think HR would be when he joined.

 

[Kingdawson]

If thats not a wind up thats one of the most pathetic things Ive ever seen posted on here

:lol:

 

[Jurgen the German]

That's not good enough for me either. We are not in a transition season or in any kind of trouble. I expect us to stay put, and to be honest I don't think it takes all that much of the manager to achieve that with the squad we have/will have. And that is also why I don't fear AVB will be the doom of this club. Just like I didn't think HR would be when he joined.

People kept saying when Redknapp was here "imagine what we could do with a good/tactically astute manager!". Well they've got what they wanted now. It's just interesting that many are already making excuses for AVB by saying the previous manager left the club in a mess. I'm sure Liverpool would love to be in the same "mess" coming off a season finishing 4th!

 

[DHSF]

People kept saying when Redknapp was here "imagine what we could do with a good/tactically astute manager!". Well they've got what they wanted now. It's just interesting that many are already making excuses for AVB by saying the previous manager left the club in a mess. I'm sure Liverpool would love to be in the same "mess" coming off a season finishing 4th!

I dont want to turn this into a Harry v any other Manager type thread but youre correct. What fix something that isnt really broken but just needed a bit of reinforcement as it were.

4th is good for us. I dont want to go back to mid table mediocrity and certainly will not be happy with 7th and I very much doubt some of our players will be either.

 

[Jurgen the German]

I dont want to turn this into a Harry v any other Manager type thread but youre correct. What fix something that isnt really broken but just needed a bit of reinforcement as it were.

4th is good for us. I dont want to go back to mid table mediocrity and certainly will not be happy with 7th and I very much doubt some of our players will be either.

That's what bothers me, people change to suit their arguements. 6 months ago, this was a team capable of challenging for the title, now the squad is depleted and has too many old players.

At present, the squad is no better or worse than it was at the start of last season. This will of course change over the next few weeks, but none of us know right now who will be coming or going.

 

[DHSF]

That's what bothers me, people change to suit their arguements. 6 months ago, this was a team capable of challenging for the title, now the squad is depleted and has too many old players.

At present, the squad is no better or worse than it was at the start of last season. This will of course change over the next few weeks, but none of us know right now who will be coming or going.

I dont think our squad is all that great actually which makes Harrys achievements even more 'remarkable' (remarkable too strong a word but cant think of anything suitable) hence Harry not rotating as much as he maybe should have.

Our squad as a whole requires strengthening whilst our first team needs only two or three players.

 

[billyiddo]

At present, the squad is no better or worse than it was at the start of last season. This will of course change over the next few weeks, but none of us know right now who will be coming or going.

except we have gone from Saha Adebayor and Defoe to just Defoe up front, club captain Ledley King has seemingly retired and rumors of our best player is Real Madrid bound

 

[DHSF]

except we have gone from Saha Adebayor and Defoe to just Defoe up front, club captain Ledley King has seemingly retired and rumors of our best player is Real Madrid bound

Well this time last year we were in exactly the same position. Actually more to the point Harry was and maybe even far worse because the rumours of Modric was intense more so than today. Ade hadnt signed until after the start of the season and Parker was brought in towards end of the window.

Same squad to even train with, admittedly some like VDV/Modric will not be training.

 

[Jurgen the German]

except we have gone from Saha Adebayor and Defoe to just Defoe up front, club captain Ledley King has seemingly retired and rumors of our best player is Real Madrid bound

We didn't have Saha at the start of last season. And we still don't know what is going to happen with Adebayor and King. Who's to say Levy wont tell Modric to jog on like he did last summer? It looked certain that he would go last summer! Anyway that's 3 players out of a 25 man squad!

 

[billyiddo]

Well this time last year we were in exactly the same position. Actually more to the point Harry was and maybe even far worse because the rumours of Modric was intense more so than today. Ade hadnt signed until after the start of the season and Parker was brought in towards end of the window.

Same squad to even train with, admittedly some like VDV/Modric will not be training.

i should have left the full quote in as he was talking about '6 months a go' rather than the beginning of last season - 6 months a go was when people were confident of 3rd (with an outside chance of higher if we were 100% for the rest of the season) which is what im comparing us now to then - it's only hypothetical anyway as in a few weeks i think we'll be stronger than we were then. but id generally think it's a tad over expecting to ask a new manager to achieve the maximum in his first season at a new club - i think we will be in the hunt for top 4 though at least next season (depending on the strength of our opponents that could mean finishing as low as 6th possibly even 7th) but the following season id be expecting more.

I dont think our squad is all that great actually which makes Harrys achievements even more 'remarkable' (remarkable too strong a word but cant think of anything suitable) hence Harry not rotating as much as he maybe should have.

Our squad as a whole requires strengthening whilst our first team needs only two or three players.

the strength or weakness of the squad is as much down to him as anyone else - if the squad is unbalanced or not good enough to be rotated in then it is a failing of the manager

 

[billyiddo]

We didn't have Saha at the start of last season. And we still don't know what is going to happen with Adebayor and King. Who's to say Levy wont tell Modric to jog on like he did last summer? It looked certain that he would go last summer! Anyway that's 3 players out of a 25 man squad!

6 months ago, this was a team capable of challenging for the title

6 months a go we we had a stronger first team than we have now - i don't think our lack of squad depth is up for debate to be honest, Redknapp himself pretty much underlined this by his apparent lack of trusting the back up players to come in and do a job when first team players sorely needed resting in the 2nd half of the season

excellent first team added to and strengthened by Redknapp in his time here - the best thing he done here IMO. certainly capable of finishing top 3 last season - but beyond the first team is a different story - dejected players who aren't up to the job or losing motivation by being sidelined for too long.

Bassong, Pienaar and Corluka - 3 good players who managed correctly could have made a positive contribution to our season allowing players such as King/Kaboul VdV/Lennon and Walker much needed time to rest - now 2 have left the club and one is no doubt on the way out - again another example of how the squad is weaker than it was last season/6 months a go

 

[The Moonlit Knight]

That's what bothers me, people change to suit their arguements. 6 months ago, this was a team capable of challenging for the title, now the squad is depleted and has too many old players.

At present, the squad is no better or worse than it was at the start of last season. This will of course change over the next few weeks, but none of us know right now who will be coming or going.

We are better off than this time last season, without a shadow of a doubt. Our first XI is young, and now they've got another year of experience under their belt. The beginning of last season we struggled in central midfield due to a lack of an enforcer and Modric's reluctance to play. Going into the season we are stronger there, and if Modric does leave it will mean AVB will have some serious cash to invest on fresh blood (something we have sorely lacked the last two seasons and has cost us IMO).

The future is very bright for us if we get this right. I do agree with what bothers you, but it's more the fact that certain posters set goals that were unrealistic so that way the previous Manager had no chance of reaching them goals and that would give them credibility in their arguments that he had to go. Now they have the man they want, they've gone more cautious and downplaying our chances so that their opinion has creditibility and they can claim that AVB has us punching above our weight. I find it more amusing than annoying, and I just know not to bother engaging in debate with posters like that.

As for my personal expectations? I said all last season we were punching above our weight and we had a great season. I certainly don't expect AVB to match it, especially in his first season in charge. I'd hope that we were still better than Saudi Sportswashing Machine and that Liverpool will need more than one season to catch us up though, so my personal expectations are we should finish 5th regardless of this Summers transfer dealings. But if we finish lower than 5th, then as long as there are clear justifiable reasons for it (key players being injured, not many points between a few teams etc) then I won't be calling for AVB's head if we finish lower than 6th. My biggest hope is that AVB tries to do what Harry did and play attractive attacking football. If AVB does that, he'll get my blessing all year as long as we aren't in any sort of relegation danger.

 

[Modric THFC]

I copy and paste comments I deem to be overly speculative or controversial and keep them in a file and all of the above HAS been stated by various posters on this board.

Taking this whole forum business a bit seriously don't you think?

 

[Joesh]

Whilst I have not even thought about what he has done and how he has performed in the past IF someone is going to take his Porto days into account they have also got to take into account the Chelscum days. You cant just pick and choose which bits out of his career you want to take into account.

The guy is so new in Management to me it feels like we have just plucked someone out of his playing career and is new into Management.

He also had a stint with another Portuguese side, Academia if that makes things any better. He mustnt have done too bad if he went on to Porto from there.

 

[Jordinho]

FRANK LAMPARD believes former boss Andre Villas-Boas is so lucky to have got the Tottenham job.

Not because AVB was such a flop during his short and ill-fated reign at Stamford Bridge.

Or because the pair never saw eye-to-eye during a controversial eight months at Chelsea.

But because he has been left one of the best groups of players in Europe and that should help him become an instant success at White Hart Lane.

Lampard explained: “AVB has inherited an exceptional squad of players.

“A squad that’s good enough to bring Champions League football and contend for the Premier League title.

“A team that’s played some terrific, thrilling attacking football and scored goals for fun.

“So AVB is a lucky man taking over at Spurs because the players are so very good.

“Admittedly that can be a double-edged sword, though.

“Because Harry Redknapp will be an extremely tough act to follow.

“Harry lifted Spurs to an amazing level.

“The way he turned that club around was remarkable.

“They were at absolute rock bottom when Harry came in.

“Then all of a sudden they’re playing in the Champions League and competing at the very top. So he did an incredible job there and he definitely didn’t deserve to lose his job.

“That’s why I was really surprised when Harry left. He did wonders at Tottenham and I thought him leaving was a terrible shame.”

AVB was another high-profile managerial casualty last term, ruthlessly axed by Blues owner Roman Abramovich in a desperate bid to rescue Chelsea’s season.

Interim coach Roberto Di Matteo took over and did just that, winning the Champions League and FA Cup.

But Lampard believes Villas-Boas may have learned from adversity and may now be a better boss for it.

He said: “AVB didn’t do well at Chelsea but it was not for the want of anyone trying.

“He wanted to succeed, he wanted to do it his way. But it just didn’t work.

“Not because of any battle between me and him, there was a lot more to it than that.

“He had his plans for the team and that meant me not playing as much as before.

“That was just one part of it, the problems were far bigger and broader than that.

“But as a player you learn off every manager whether they are good, bad or indifferent. I definitely learned in different ways from Andre. It was an interesting time.

“I was always used to having a great relationship with my managers. Everyone I had worked previously with.

“Not having that suddenly made it pretty tough for me at the time.

“It makes you stop and think, it makes you re-evaluate everything you are doing.

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“Now maybe he will be a better manager, a better person for his experience at Chelsea.”

Lampard, 34, certainly expects Villas-Boas to be doubly keen to try and take revenge on his former club when the two teams meet in the new season.

But the Blues hero says he will be working just as hard to make sure Chelsea have the last laugh.

He confessed: “Yes, AVB now being at Spurs will give those derby games even more of an edge.

“They are pretty edgy anyway but this will add even more.

“When I see him I’ll shake his hand and wish him all the best. But then I will try my best to beat him.”

And that is a confrontation no one will want to miss.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...e-Villas-Boas-lucky-to-be-Tottenham-boss.html

Nothing to with AVB failing at Chelsea, him dropping you from the first XI or your uncle losing his job? Sure.

 

[spasm]

thanks for the opinion you fat fudge

 

[Little Luka]

Fat Frank trying to pile on pressure.

 

[Spurs7891]

Blame it on the stupid Germans and Bayern Munich. If they had not bottled in the CL final, we won't be seeing Lampard gloating now.

 

[africanspurs]

Fat Frank trying to pile on pressure.

this is true but the way people talk about AVB he should be able to take this talented group of players to dizzying heights

in all honesty i woke up this morning and thought to myself. if we come 6th or 7th then thats a failure on AVBs part..simple. there really is no excuse for AVB to come 7th with this group of players, 6th is absolutely the lowest he should be getting. Jol came 5th with a worse group talent...maybe not in comparison with the rest of the league at that point....and redknapp has two 4th place finished and 5th with a more talented group...this group. for AVB to come here and get 6th or 7th, you have to wonder how much of a perfect scenario he would need just to be able to operate successfully. Like a prince that cant go to sleep without goose feathered pillows or cant take a shower unless its fresh Evian water from the springs.

we have a good team, a talented team....and we should expect good performance and good results...something i kNOW for a fact we would have gotten under Harry