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Former Chelsea Boss Andre Villas-Boas Appointed Tottenham Hotspur Manager

Andre Villas-Boas Appointed Tottenham Hotspur Manager

Former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has been appointed the new head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, three weeks after Harry Redknapp was sacked.

Villas-Boas, 34, returns to football on a three-year contract four months after his dismissal at Chelsea.

“For me, this is one of the most exciting coaching positions in the Premier League,” said Villas-Boas.

“This is a squad any coach would love to work with. Together I believe we can bring success in the seasons ahead.”

Despite winning the Portuguese domestic double and the Europa League at Porto in 2010-11, Villas-Boas was sacked by Chelsea less than 12 months into a three-year contract in March.

In the wake of Redknapp’s dismissal, former France coach Laurent Blanc, Wigan’s Roberto Martinez, Fabio Capello and former Tottenham striker Jurgen Klinsmann were linked with the post before the ex-Porto boss emerged as Spurs’ preferred candidate.

“He has an outstanding reputation for his technical knowledge of the game and for creating well-organised teams capable of playing football in an attractive and attacking style,” Spurs chairman Daniel Levy told the club’s official website. 

“Andre shares our long-term ambitions and ethos of developing players and nurturing young talent, and he will be able to do so now at a new world-class training centre.”

Villas-Boas brings with him two members of the coaching staff who served under him at Chelsea, first-team fitness coach Jose Mario Rocha and Daniel Sousa, head of opposition scouting.

And Levy hinted that Tottenham would now look to add to their playing staff in the close season.

“It is important we now look to develop the potential within the squads at all levels, while strengthening the first team in the summer in key positions with players who will become part of the future success of the club,” he said.

Tottenham, who finished fourth in the Premier League table last season, launch the 2012-13 season away to Newcastle on 18 August.

Villas-Boas is scheduled to lead Spurs into action against his former club Chelsea on 20 October at White Hart Lane, with the Portuguese due to return to Stamford Bridge on 13 April.

His arrival follows last week’s news that winger Gareth Bale, 22, has signed a new four-year-deal with Spurs.

Andre Villas-Boas factfile

  • Born: 17 October 1977 in Porto, Portgual
  • Managerial career: Academica, Porto, Chelsea
  • Chelsea highs: Champions League group wins over over Bayer Leverkusen (2-0), Genk (5-0) and Valencia (3-0)
  • Chelsea lows: Won one of his last six Premier League games in charge as Chelsea dropped out of the race for the Premier League title, and was sacked after 256 days in charge

BBC Sports

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Chelsea Target Andre Villas-Boas Set to Become New Noss

Chelsea target Andre Villas-Boas is on the verge of becoming the club’s new manager, BBC Sport understands.

The 33-year-old resigned as Porto boss on Tuesday having guided the club to a domestic treble last season.

He has been linked with Chelsea in recent days following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti in May.

Porto insisted on Monday that Villas-Boas could leave if a rival club paid £13.2m to activate a release clause in his contract.

“FC Porto was today notified of the intention of Andre Villas-Boas to resign from his contract with the club by triggering the release clause immediately,” read a Porto statement.

“The contract will be terminated once the required amount is paid.”

The Lusa news agency had reported earlier on Tuesday that Villas-Boas would pay the £13.2m himself.

Ancelotti was dismissed by Chelsea following a season without any silverware, with the London club finishing runners-up to Manchester United in the Premier League.

Several candidates have been touted as possible replacements for the Italian, among them Turkey boss Guus Hiddink, Villas-Boas and former Fulham, Manchester City and Blackburn boss Mark Hughes.

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS FACT FILE

  • Has an English grandmother and boasts a count and a baron among his relatives
  • Invited to work as a trainee with Porto’s youth-team coaches in 1994 by Sir Bobby Robson
  • Would become youngest current manager in Premier League at 33 if he ends up taking over at Chelsea

Former Chelsea boss John Hollins believes Villas-Boas could prove to be a shrewd acquisition for the west London club, who are yet to realise owner Roman Abramovich’s dream of winning the Champions League, and were beaten in the semi-finals by Manchester United last season.

“He could be fearless,” Hollins told BBC Sport. “It will be fresh for the players, they need a boost. I think it could be a breath of fresh air, bringing in a fresh approach to this maybe tired football team.

“This guy is as young as some of the players are so he will be on the same wavelength with them, but is it going to be a three or four year programme as opposed to having to win something in his first year? That is the one thing we don’t know yet, but he has won three competitions in Portugal just like that so he could be a whizzkid.

“It’s a gamble but I think it’s calculated gamble. I still don’t know if Mr Hiddink will be coming as an advisor to the young man, if he does that will only strengthen the position.”

Under Villas-Boas, Porto won both the Portuguese league and league cup last season, as well as the Europa League.

They were unbeaten in the league, with 27 wins in 30 matches, becoming only the second Portuguese club to complete a league campaign without losing a game, after Benfica in 1972-73.

A scout for compatriot Jose Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, Villas-Boas began his managerial career with Portuguese club Academica in October 2009.

Academica were winless and bottom of the first division at the time but finished the season in 11th place.

They also reached a Portuguese League Cup semi-final before Villas-Boas left to take over at Porto in June 2010.

Villas-Boas, who speaks fluent English, also worked with Sir Bobby Robson during the former England manager’s spell in charge of Porto.

BBC Sports

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