Andre Villas-Boas - Head Coach

[camspur]

Re: AVB On Reals Madrid's Short List For New Manager

I wonder why the back four rotation wasn't picked out as a potential danger or complained about during our unbeaten run?

Because people only remember our last three games and forget how well the defense played in the run up to them.

 

[parklane1]

Re: AVB On Reals Madrid's Short List For New Manager

Because people only remember our last three games and forget how well the defense played in the run up to them.

Indeed.

 

[onlyme]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I believe in fate and if we had won at Liverpool we could have coasted into the ECL. Really and truly we have not been good enough and a challenge for our manager and players to step up a gear will be a good thing.

 

[Pirate55]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I believe in fate and if we had won at Liverpool we could have coasted into the ECL. Really and truly we have not been good enough and a challenge for our manager and players to step up a gear will be a good thing.

Something we agree on at last

 

[Denmark Spur]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

It’s natural for me to think we can go all the way

Tottenham Hotspur’s manager, Andre Villas-Boas, 35, talks about the man who inspired him, and living up to fans’ expectations

Anmar Frangoul, The Sunday Times Published: 31 March 2013

The alarm on my BlackBerry wakes me up at 6.30. It’s half an hour before my wife, Joana, and our kids — Carolina and Benedita — get up. They’re only two and three years old and it means I can get dressed and leave without them knowing, which is probably best.

We live in central London and it takes me about 50 minutes to get to Tottenham’s training ground in Enfield. I’ll have breakfast there — something like a yoghurt and an orange juice, and occasionally a bit of white toast and butter. In Portugal, where I come from, I might have three or four espressos a day, but here it’s just a white coffee with lots of sugar.

After breakfast I’ll meet with my coaching staff to plan training. The players have to arrive half an hour before training starts, but most of them will come in earlier for treatments and a pre warm-up. Training begins at 10.30 and we work with the ball all the time. It’s intense for all of us.

We like our sessions to last a good 90 minutes. All the players work hard and their commitment this season has been great. We’re in a good position in the league table and we want to keep moving forward. A European trophy means a lot to any club, and to be one of eight teams left in the Europa League gives us huge motivation.

We finish about midday, then I’ll go back to my office, reflect on the morning’s session, and talk to the coaches about who did well and who didn’t do well. I’ll also speak to the medics to see if there have been any new injuries. Once training finishes, players are free to either have lunch at the canteen or go. I usually stay and have a bite to eat — maybe pasta with a pesto or bolognese sauce.

In Portugal, every kid dreams about becoming a footballer. I was no exception. My first memories of football are of the club my family supported, my local team — FC Porto. I’ve been going to see them from the age of four. Then, when I was 17, I met Sir Bobby Robson and my life changed. At the time, he was manager of Porto and lived in my block. We got talking one day so I quizzed him about tactics and players and he invited me to come and watch the team in training.

I spent a lot of time with Sir Bobby. He inspired me. From then on, my dream was to manage my own team. I went on to coach Porto’s youth players, and years later Porto invited me back to be their manager. In one season we won the Portuguese league, the Portuguese cup, and the Europa League.

Today it’s a privilege to be the manager of Tottenham, and this season there are definitely a few expectations for us to live up to. Of course, the Premier League can be unpredictable; it changes from one week to the next. But we want to finish in the top four… we want to qualify for the Champions League

As a manager, one of the things I’ve realised over the years is you not only learn a lot about yourself, but you learn a lot about others, too. One of the charities I’ve been working with is the Laureus Foundation. It focuses on kids from difficult social backgrounds all over the world, and its aim is to inspire them, show them the kind of things they can do with their lives.

I like to leave the ground by 5pm, and when I get home I’ll unwind by playing with the kids. In Portugal, dinner isn’t served until at least 8 and Joana and I keep to that tradition. We’ll have a lot of Portuguese dishes, such as chicken and beer stew, but we also like things like feijoada, which is a Brazilian dish of pork and black-bean stew, or another one called picanha, which is rump of beef.

Unless there’s a game on TV I won’t watch anything, as the girls usually take over both televisions in the house. Around 10pm we’ll put them to bed, which is always a big, big fight. We’ll go to bed straight after. The last thing I’ll do is set my alarm to wake me up at 6.30 — really, I’m no different from any other person in any other job.

Andre Villas-Boas is an ambassador for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation; laureus.com

http://twitdoc.com/view.asp?id=8943...ly&doc=133180713&key=key-15uwywp8pkueysnt7otb

 

[metalgear]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

The man's said it:
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8610854/
Andre Villas-Boas says Spurs' priority is a top-four finish

Last Updated: April 1, 2013 12:24am

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas says Champions League qualification is more important than winning the Europa League.

The 2-1 victory over Swansea on Saturday saw Spurs climb into third place in the Premier League table, and with Chelsea going down 2-1 at Southampton, they are well-placed for a top-four finish.
Spurs will face Basle in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, and while Villas-Boas is desperate to win some silverware, he says the forthcoming Premier League games with Chelsea, Everton and Emirates Marketing Project are very much on his mind too.
"You always get comfortable when you are further ahead from the pack but the other teams are so near," he said.
"It is not the first time that the other teams have been so near to us and it shifts every week.
"The fact that we are going to be third this week doesn't put more or less doubt on ourselves or make us over-confident. We have to continue to do our job.
"It will depend probably on the fixtures against the teams who have the same objectives as us.
"It may depend on what happens between Chelsea and Manchester United in the FA Cup as it could mean our game against them is postponed for later.
"But we have Everton, Emirates Marketing Project and Chelsea to come, if we can gather points in those games it could be decisive in terms of our final place in the league."
Villas-Boas insists though he and his players will be fully focused when Basle arrive at White Hart Lane.
He said: "We dream of winning trophies so our focus on the Europa League won't shift.
"We understand that we have to keep the team fresh and we are able to rotate as we have top-quality players that allow us to do so.
"Now we are in the Europa League quarter-finals we can only dream of winning the trophy.
"It has the same importance as every game we play, although I understand that it is always the league position that determines the success of the season."

 

[billyiddo]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

We dream of winning trophies so our focus on the Europa League won't shift.

"Now we are in the Europa League quarter-finals we can only dream of winning the trophy.
It has the same importance as every game we play"

yep, he sure did

 

[DubaiSpur]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

[video=youtube;ldpqZJ1eMdU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldpqZJ1eMdU[/video]

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

[video=youtube;ldpqZJ1eMdU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldpqZJ1eMdU[/video]

Great video, when I saw it was 2:41 I thought I will want it to be longer, but it told such a good story in that time that it left me very satisfied!

 

[Jordinho]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Success or failure?

With Tottenham facing up to the possibility of missing out on a top-four finish and Champions League qualification, some are keen to point the finger at Andre Villas-Boas. But Adam Bate argues that the Spurs coach should not be deemed a failure this season if his side misses out.

"AVB should be fired," wrote former Tottenham chairman Lord Sugar on Twitter. "No tactics. Been lucky up till now with results." While the world of social media is littered with high-profile personalities with jerky knees, Sugar's view of Andre Villas-Boas is one that some are persisting with. The apprentice that can't cut it. The next month could dictate whether or not this view wins out.

There is a reluctance to credit Villas-Boas for even the most obvious of strides forward this season, with the performances of Gareth Bale being the prime example. The narrative is that Bale's improvement has bailed him out, when it is surely fairer to argue that the team is helping to bring out the best in their star player.

Last season, the Wales international scored nine Premier League goals and provided 10 assists. But there remained uncertainty regarding his best position and Harry Redknapp was criticised when he moved Bale into a central role, enduring chants of: "Gareth Bale, he plays on the left." This season under Redknapp's Portuguese successor, it is more accurate to say that he plays from the left.

"He has been prolific in front of goal this season and I think he is enjoying getting into those positions," said Villas-Boas when asked about the Welshman. The statistics highlight this change of emphasis. Bale has just three assists in the current campaign but has scored 17 Premier League goals.

Gareth Bale:

Season	2011/12	2012/13
Appearances	36	27
Goals	9	17
Assists	10	3
Shots per game	3.8	4.9
Key passes per game	2.3	2.4
Dribbles per game	1.8	2.1

On the face of it, given that he no longer restricts himself to the left flank, Bale appears to have more freedom to roam this season. In fact, Villas-Boas has put a structure in place - with a compact midfield and a high-line - that has allowed Bale to flourish. It's something the player himself seems aware of given the celebrations with his boss after the last-gasp winner against West Ham.

He told Sport magazine: "Harry was more 'go out there and play how you feel and express yourself'. With Andre, there's a certain shape and a style we play. I think Harry was more free and let you do what you want. Andre does that too, but there's a lot more tactical work. I think it's something that's good to learn. We've done well this year and I think that's down to our defending as well as attacking."

Undermine

Bale's comments suggest Villas-Boas has long since won the battle for acceptance at Spurs, but outside of the club there remains an urge to undermine. It has become accepted that Villas-Boas must replicate Redknapp's top-four finish or be deemed a failure. His predecessor is understandably keen to fuel this feeling.

"He's got the players there to be a top four team every year and challenge for the championship," Redknapp told The Sun last summer. "That's my opinion. They have got the ability there and I think that will happen." Strong words, but surely he is damning his own performance every bit as much as that of his successor?

Redknapp would like to spread the view that Spurs are on an inexorable upward curve given the talent at Villas-Boas' disposal at White Hart Lane. The truth is more complex. As shown by the January acquisitions of Ryan Nelsen and Louis Saha last season, as well as Brad Friedel and Scott Parker the previous summer, the Spurs squad was not exclusively made up of youngsters waiting to blossom. Far from it.

In broad terms, Spurs broke even in their transfer dealings last summer. Daniel Levy brought in more than £50million in funds through the sales of Luka Modric, Rafael van der Vaart, Vedran Corluka, Steven Pienaar and Niko Kranjcar. This was reinvested in Mousa Dembele, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jan Vertonghen, Hugo Lloris and Clint Dempsey.

Given that the sale of Modric was forced on Villas-Boas, and Redknapp had enjoyed the services of Adebayor anyway, standing still really should feel like a step forwards. Dembele and Vertonghen have been superb, while Dempsey and Sigurdsson have yielded more goals (16) than the popular Van der Vaart, Pienaar and Kranjcar managed between them (15). Even the initially contentious replacement of Friedel with Lloris means Spurs now have a talented No.1 who is 15 years younger.

Injuries

Changes to the squad have not been the only difficulty as injuries have also been a factor. With Ledley King retired, Younes Kaboul was arguably Tottenham's best defender last season but has been out since the opening day. Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Aaron Lennon and Dembele have each missed chunks of the season, while the manager has hardly had chance to choose between Sandro and Parker with injuries seeing them miss a full campaign between them. Now Bale is out too.

Of course, fourth place will still be the measure of success or failure - despite the fact that European champions Chelsea were always going to come back stronger after their sixth-place finish. Indeed, even prior to Redknapp's exit, Spurs were actually expected to finish fifth this year by the bookies. They have at least fared better than the last team to finish in the Premier League top four but miss out on the Champions League proper - Everton ended up outside of the top 10 in 2006.

Perhaps this combination of exits, injuries and expectations explain why Villas-Boas is reluctant to allow the season to be framed as a failure if they miss out on Champions League football once again. "If we don't achieve it we have to consider what has been achieved this season as steps forward, which are positive for the club and the team going forward, bearing in the mind the players the team lost," he explained.

In all probability, the Spurs boss is well aware the disappointment would be somewhat tougher to deal with than that. His own players certainly seem to think so. "We have to make sure we finish in fourth place and make sure we're in the Champions League next year," claimed US international Dempsey. "That's the only thing we can do to salvage this season and say we had a good year. That's been the goal for the season."

And for good reason. The future progress of this Tottenham team is on a knife-edge. Finishing fifth would raise the prospect of Bale leaving and Villas-Boas would face another battle to restructure the squad in order to stand still. Secure Champions League football and there is a genuine opportunity to build on the success.

Lord Sugar might think AVB has been lucky. The man himself will surely think the exact opposite. Who people choose to agree with is likely to depend upon whether or not Spurs can squeeze enough points from their remaining six games - starting at home to Emirates Marketing Project on Sunday.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11096/8653084/Success-or-failure-

 

[Oddbama]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

First-time poster, but I've been lurking here for several years.
It might be a strange reason to finally start posting here, but during the fantastic 3-1 goal today, I noticed how emotional AVB celebrated.
I have to confess that I shed a tear at 2-1 and several when Bale chipped the ball past Hart, and it certainly looks like AVB was close to doing the same:

 

[metalgear]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

super game against Man C where AVB's Plan B: holtby, thudd and defoe all contibuted to the win directly.
players that went off: avb, siggy and parker all played their part in Plan A - going into overdrive and working tirelessly to exhaust the opposition, to pave way for Plan B.

it wasn't rocket science - even posters on this board were calling out the same subs - but good to see a manager not lost on the pressure of the game, but able to make sensible choices.

if anyone watched his post match interview, he lauded the players "decision making on the pitch" that really counts. that his job is only to prepare them as much so that they can unleash their individual talent. best manager we ever had in the modern era already, if not best manager in the BPL by now.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

super game against Man C where AVB's Plan B: holtby, thudd and defoe all contibuted to the win directly.
players that went off: avb, siggy and parker all played their part in Plan A - going into overdrive and working tirelessly to exhaust the opposition, to pave way for Plan B.

it wasn't rocket science - even posters on this board were calling out the same subs - but good to see a manager not lost on the pressure of the game, but able to make sensible choices.

if anyone watched his post match interview, he lauded the players "decision making on the pitch" that really counts. that his job is only to prepare them as much so that they can unleash their individual talent. best manager we ever had in the modern era already, if not best manager in the BPL by now.

I definitely don't remember Burkinshaw, so for me he's shaping up to be the best of my lifetime.

Pleat 86/87 and Venables 89/90-90/91 with their 3rd places and cup runs probably still out there though (till next season).

 

[thfcsteff]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I definitely don't remember Burkinshaw, so for me he's shaping up to be the best of my lifetime.

Pleat 86/87 and Venables 89/90-90/91 with their 3rd places and cup runs probably still out there though (till next season).

I think I agree re: Burky although it's a diff era with diff expectations. The one thing AVB is giving us that we haven't had since Sir Bill is that we do not know when we are beaten. It's excellent.

 

[N10 Yiddo]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

I remember going to City away when we lost 2-1 and hearing my brother rant on about AVB's tactics all the way down the main road. He has definitely improved this season and I am so happy that he got the crucial substitutions right compared to bringing Naughton on for Lennon and Gallas on for Walker in the away game.

Huddlestone has been changing the game for us in the last 3 or 4 matches so I hope he gets a run in the team. 4-3-3 looked very promising and I think it's the formation AVB used at Porto to win them the treble.

 

[stinkfoot]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Great substitutions but also the way he asked them to play and set up to change the game and create more fluidity and chances.

Must have been a stellar half time talk as well.

I really really hope that he gets the recognition he now deserves imo in the press (yeah I'm looking at you too Durham) who are quick to jump on what they perceive as his shortcomings when it comes to in-game tactics and team solidity/unity. I think in this game he has proved his mettle big time.

 

[paxtonwolf]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Great substitutions but also the way he asked them to play and set up to change the game and create more fluidity and chances.

Must have been a stellar half time talk as well.

I really really hope that he gets the recognition he now deserves imo in the press (yeah I'm looking at you too Durham) who are quick to jump on what they perceive as his shortcomings when it comes to in-game tactics and team solidity/unity. I think in this game he has proved his mettle big time.

Dont hold your breath on that one. We would have to win the title for him to give AVB any credit, and then he would probably say he inherited a team from Redknapp!

 

[Mumorn]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Anyone truly fudging excited as to what he has in store for us in the summer? We're playing superb football at times with the 4-3-3 he's getting us to transition into.

 

[stinkfoot]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

Yup. I'm hoping that Levy looks at what AVB has done this season (regardless of where we finish) and thinks to himself, wow, this guy could be the real deal if I back him properly and give him the players he wants.

 

[DHSF]

Re: AVB - Making Tottenham His Own

AVB still fudges up there is no denying that and I try to look at things objectively and wont change that by riding on this wave HOWEVER there have been times we have been impressive and other times shambolic.

I think AVB needs to be backed in the market this summer (dependent on whether we are in CL or not im presuming) because he has been hindered by the options he has as a result of injuries. This season AVB has been hampered by his squad and it is upto Mr Levy to fully back him.