Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[Gifter]

Think that AVB's Christmas Party stance definately hasn't hurt.

That we have played Man Utd, Emirates Marketing Project, Arsenal, Everton all away, only Chelsea of the top 6 away to come, makes me think we will smash our away record points and are poised for a real go at top 4 (Sandro is getting carried away, but think the squad should feel that Top 2 is the target).

Happy New Year!

 

[Raziel]

Back to the would I switch, answer for me is no (and I enjoyed the Harry years)

My view (without trying to prove exactly how one is better)

- Harry is always Harry, and the job is just a job. There is always a separation between Harry and the club he represents.
- AVB is trying to be Spurs, the "we" part of his image.
- Harry's style is do the simple stuff right, pick the right players and let the system allow individual player brilliance to shine through and win the day. Hence with Harry, eventually it's diminishing returns, he won't work on the % part of the game, so it comes down to buying better players
- AVB for me is trying to build a system that makes the whole more than the sum of the parts
- While both deserve some commendation for the chances to youth players, AVB's system style will eventually make the transition from youth -> senior easier.
- And obviously, the potential for a long term manager, the edge goes to AVB.

 

[Hashegotthesackyet?]

The real choker for me is that of the money side of things. I know that we all get tinkled off with the un-level playing field aspect, but for me, even more so, now (in my opinion), that we have a top manager. It's a shame, because he doesn't have say, the same level playing field, that old whiskey faced red nose had, who obviously went on to great things, and built up a critical mass of success, then funding.. repeat the cycle, in order for Manure to compete at the very top, for sustained periods.
AVB will never get that luxury at Spurs.
Anyway, I'm normally a negative half empty fudger, and with AVB, he has made me more optimistic than ever. I love the bloke, and as been mentioned, the press were/are, queuing for him to fudge up.. so far, he aint given much. Yids!

 

[glorygloryeze]

Think that AVB's Christmas Party stance definately hasn't hurt.

That we have played Man Utd, Emirates Marketing Project, Arsenal, Everton all away, only Chelsea of the top 6 away to come, makes me think we will smash our away record points and are poised for a real go at top 4 (Sandro is getting carried away, but think the squad should feel that Top 2 is the target).

Happy New Year!

I am happy with our first half of the season, but I think it's not only Sandro getting carried away...

 

[braineclipse]

actually longevity is a good point. that would work in favour of AVB. but 3 and half years of consistent success and record breaking is not easily dissipated. for all intents and purposes AVB is reaping the benefits of managers past.

if given money i would go with harry

And Redknapp wasn't reaping the benefits of managers past?

I'm happy and thankful for what Redknapp did, but I really think it was time for him to part with our club.

 

[metalgear]

i firmly believe that AVB is still building up the team and we're still seeing a work in progress, and that the final piece of the puzzle is the striker to hold that up front role. I see defoe as just a stand-in before ade takes over, and we will see a 4-5-1 firmly in place by the end of the season if all goes well.

 

[harr1984]

i firmly believe that AVB is still building up the team and we're still seeing a work in progress, and that the final piece of the puzzle is the striker to hold that up front role. I see defoe as just a stand-in before ade takes over, and we will see a 4-5-1 firmly in place by the end of the season if all goes well.

I hope to see a 4-5-1 with Sig behind whoever the main striker is. I rate Demspey but I think Sig is much more talented and offers something different.

On a side note, does anyone know what's happened to nayimfromthehalfwayline? I remember telling him AVB would do well here, and he wasn't convinced. Would be interested to hear his thoughts, but doesn't appear to post anymore?

 

[Jurgen the German]

i wonder, if given the opportunity, would anyone choose to trade AVB for Redknapp :-k

Impossible to answer. AVB is doing very well SO FAR, but the season is 38 games, not 20. Obviously his age is a factor, but Fergie is still going strong in his 70s.

 

[africanspurs]

Really?? What evidence do you have that given 'proper backing' Harry would have spent large ammount of money wisely?

because he spent the money wisely when he was here....you'd find it hard to locate any signing that didnt help the squad in some way...or that made sense at the time of purchase...all this without a single BIG money signing but rather patch up jobs..and stitching together of funds obtained through sales

who did he buy that you think we not a good buy at the time of purchase or turned out to help us significantly?

what evidence do you have in short that if WE gave him money that he would throw it away on dross?

 

[africanspurs]

Wow, not sure whatsup with AS these days (need a vacation mate?)

Think you would have to define money for me AS, City/Cheat$ki type spending or just 40-80M?

i'm talking about significant net spending outside of player sales. so lets say he wants to go for dembele (which he said on MoTD i think) , he would be given the 16 or 17 million no problem to go and get what he needed......so yes about the 30 to 40 million mark...(80 million is insane for us , no one would get that even if it was there)

i'm not sure why i need a vacation to say that i think with good players Harry would do good things. LOL

 

[africanspurs]

And Redknapp wasn't reaping the benefits of managers past?

I'm happy and thankful for what Redknapp did, but I really think it was time for him to part with our club.

of course he was, but not in the same format as AVB. redknapp was brought in here to save the club and put a mental toughness back into that team....and that team was unsettled to boot.....its not the same as what AVB has taken over , especially in conjunction with the recent success we had..remember...we never had CL or 4th before redknapp took over.....so he does profit from managers past definately but he certainly had to fix problems from managers past.

i wouldnt disagree that redknapp had to part with the club, because the club is levy, the board, and clubs business model...redknapp couldnt stay under that regime. so yes in reality in the cold light of day harry had to leave. what grates the fudge out of me is what i consider to be made up stuff with no substance just so people can find something to say about harry.

 

[africanspurs]

i firmly believe that AVB is still building up the team and we're still seeing a work in progress, and that the final piece of the puzzle is the striker to hold that up front role. I see defoe as just a stand-in before ade takes over, and we will see a 4-5-1 firmly in place by the end of the season if all goes well.

this is true, the key for me is that AVB is more likely to be given money or players to develop his team and his philosophy.
I see AVB as more likely to tow the line and do as asked in the levy regime. Levy will love this guy...especially if he can bring success under the business strategy. All avb really needs to do is highlight team needs, players types or skill sets desired and then just coach on a daily. pretty sure someone will be bringing in the players..or putting a list of players together that AVB must pick from

the issue i think will lie more in the risk factor that AVB is willing to take vs what Levy is willing to take

 

[Park Lane James]

i firmly believe that AVB is still building up the team and we're still seeing a work in progress, and that the final piece of the puzzle is the striker to hold that up front role. I see defoe as just a stand-in before ade takes over, and we will see a 4-5-1 firmly in place by the end of the season if all goes well.

Oh for sure. IMO a manager's third season in charge is when they have a team that resembles what they have been working towards. First summer to get rid of some players they don't need/want and bring a few in that they want. Second summer is the same again, and the third is a similar process but by then they have tweaking the team enough to get some contingency and effectiveness. I say the third season, because you can't just ship half the squad out in one transfer window and expect everything to work.

We're starting to see a more organised team as the season goes along, and better form from some of the players that started on the back foot (Sigurdsson, Dempsey etc). I think this is due to increased coaching time, increased amount of practices to get used to new players and the manager's way of thinking. Next season we may see one or two big signings that really state our intent and show where AvB really wants to tame this team.

 

[NWND]

One thing i've just thought of is that none of the players that came in over the summer have been terrible buys. They are all starting to have an impact on the squad now, even Sigurdsson is looking useful. Dempsey has done well, Lloris is starting to look the part, Dembele and Vertonghen have been absolute beasts. I think its a credit to AVB that we haven't ended up with anyone being quickly disgarded a la Pienaar. He has kept the youngsters around too and gotten good form and use out of players that were out of favour or form like Defoe, Dawson etc.

It does seem like the coaching team as a whole are getting the best out of the majority of the SQUAD, not just the first XI. Nobody seems to be off-form for a significant period of time and those that started the season poorly (Walker, Dempsey, Sig etc) are playing their way into form once again.

 

[Raziel]

One thing i've just thought of is that none of the players that came in over the summer have been terrible buys. They are all starting to have an impact on the squad now, even Sigurdsson is looking useful. Dempsey has done well, Lloris is starting to look the part, Dembele and Vertonghen have been absolute beasts. I think its a credit to AVB that we haven't ended up with anyone being quickly disgarded a la Pienaar. He has kept the youngsters around too and gotten good form and use out of players that were out of favour or form like Defoe, Dawson etc.

It does seem like the coaching team as a whole are getting the best out of the majority of the SQUAD, not just the first XI. Nobody seems to be off-form for a significant period of time and those that started the season poorly (Walker, Dempsey, Sig etc) are playing their way into form once again.

Very good point, Lloris, Vert, Dembele, Dempsey, Siggy, Ade, amazing that all seem to have settled fairly quickly. Was worried about Siggy for a while, but the rest were instant impact.

Reflects well on the club as a whole.

 

[Raziel]

i'm talking about significant net spending outside of player sales. so lets say he wants to go for dembele (which he said on MoTD i think) , he would be given the 16 or 17 million no problem to go and get what he needed......so yes about the 30 to 40 million mark...(80 million is insane for us , no one would get that even if it was there)

i'm not sure why i need a vacation to say that i think with good players Harry would do good things. LOL

Harry is a good manager, you won't get an argument there from me, and if he had got an extra player or two in last January, we probably would have got 3rd.

The vacation comment was because some of your more recent posts seem agitated ..

 

[braineclipse]

this is true, the key for me is that AVB is more likely to be given money or players to develop his team and his philosophy.
I see AVB as more likely to tow the line and do as asked in the levy regime. Levy will love this guy...especially if he can bring success under the business strategy. All avb really needs to do is highlight team needs, players types or skill sets desired and then just coach on a daily. pretty sure someone will be bringing in the players..or putting a list of players together that AVB must pick from

the issue i think will lie more in the risk factor that AVB is willing to take vs what Levy is willing to take

Really?

In his first window at the club Harry spent around £45m, he then went on to spend around £20m the following summer, although a good chunk of that was offset by the sale of Darrent Bent.

In his first window AVB ended up making a net profit of probably somewhere between £5-10m. Even if we do buy big this January he won't really have a massive net spend. I know quite a bit of what Redknapp spent was the Berba money and you could count that and say that his net spend wasn't that big. Still AVB will have to spend quite a bit in January just to match what Redknapp got to spend in his first two windows at the club.

 

[Bishop]

because he spent the money wisely when he was here....you'd find it hard to locate any signing that didnt help the squad in some way...or that made sense at the time of purchase...all this without a single BIG money signing but rather patch up jobs..and stitching together of funds obtained through sales

who did he buy that you think we not a good buy at the time of purchase or turned out to help us significantly?

what evidence do you have in short that if WE gave him money that he would throw it away on dross?

I'm not so sure of that. His record is quite hit or miss the biggest signings at Spurs tended to be his worst. He did ok with the lesser heralded players but we never really strengthened the areas we needed to when we did buy. Some of that is no doubt down to Levy but without knowing the detail Harry gets the benefit of the credit and criticism of all signings made during his time at the club.

Crouch @10m Terrible
Keane @12-16M Waste of every single penny
Palacios @15m overpriced

The unquestionably good signings he made are limited to Sandro, VDV and Parkerl. I don't really count Kaboul as we were the ones who spotted him in the first place.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

The unquestionably good signings he made are limited to Sandro, VDV and Parkerl. I don't really count Kaboul as we were the ones who spotted him in the first place.

I do not think Harry can claim any credit for the Sandro and VDV signings

 

[thfcsteff]

I don't think he will sign big this Jan and I still think we will finish in the top 4...