‘Privileged’ Villas-Boas looks to the future
Weeks of speculation were ended yesterday when the Portuguese man was named as successor to Harry Redknapp, who left last month.
Villas-Boas has penned a deal until 2015 with Spurs, where he will be hoping to make a bigger and better impact than he did during his ill-fated spell with Chelsea.
The 34-year-old was sacked by the Blues last season just eight months into a three-year contract and is relishing the opportunity to rebuild his once burgeoning reputation at Tottenham.
“Tottenham Hotspur is a great club with a strong tradition and fantastic support, both at home and throughout the world,” Villas-Boas said.
“I feel privileged to be its coach. For me, this is one of the most exciting coaching positions in the Premier League.
“I have had several discussions with the chairman and the board and I share their vision for the future progress of the club.
“This is a squad any coach would love to work with and together I believe we can bring success in the seasons ahead.”
Villas-Boas has been amongst the favourites throughout Spurs’ hunt for a new manager despite his torrid time at Stamford Bridge.
His spell in West London was dogged by claims of player unrest as his side struggled to reach expectations, resulting in his March departure.
Roberto Di Matteo’s subsequent success raised further questions over his managerial ability, but Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has no doubts that Villas-Boas is the best man for job.
“I am delighted that Andre has agreed to become our new head coach,” he said of Villas-Boas, who brings with him first-team fitness coach Jose Mario Rocha and head of opposition scouting Daniel Sousa.
“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.
“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.”
Levy added: “We are constantly looking to move the club forward.
“It is important that we now look to develop the potential within the squads at all levels, whilst strengthening the first-team in the summer in key positions with players who will become part of the future success of the club.”
However former Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle believes his former club have taken a gamble by appointing 34-year-old Villas-Boas.
“I’m surprised, I did not think that is the way Spurs would go,” he said.
“It’s more than a slight risk because of the way things didn’t work out at Chelsea.
“I thought it might have been better for him to go and reinvent himself elsewhere before he had another crack at English football.”
Hoddle bemoaned Redknapp’s departure from the club, although urging everybody involved with the club to get behind Villas-Boas.
“Hiring Villas-Boas is a decision that maybe shouldn’t have needed to be made,” he added.
“They were in a position with Harry, where if they just added two or three more players and spent a bit of money, they could have really kicked on.
“It would probably have been better to add to the squad, rather than making a decision that may result in players wanting to leave.
“However, the decision has been made and it’s a key moment for Tottenham. Everyone at Spurs has to get behind him and hope that everything goes well.”
One of Villas-Boas’ first tasks will be to try to ensure Spurs do not lose any of their star names.
While Gareth Bale has penned a four-year contract, doubts persist over the future of Luka Modric, who was denied a move to Villas-Boas’ Chelsea last summer and is now strongly linked with Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Tottenham themselves are said to be interested in Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen, CSKA Moscow’s Alan Dzagoev and Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, who was on loan at Swansea last season.
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