Villas-Boas: Winning is the only option

WITH the start of the new Premier League season just over two weeks away, new Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is under no illusions about the size of the task that faces him at Stamford Bridge.

Villas-Boas replaced Carlo Ancelotti this summer after the Italian was sacked by owner Roman Abramovich following a disappointing campaign that failed to yield a single trophy for the Blues.

The 33-year-old arrived at the club having captured the Europa League as well as the Portuguese title, Cup and Supercup with Porto but knows that past success counts for little.

Just ask Ancelotti, who led Chelsea to their first-ever double the previous season before becoming the fifth managerial casualty in seven years.

“It’s pretty straightforward what you have to achieve at this club isn’t it?” said Villas-Boas.

“You have to win trophies. If you have big success and you know the hunger of what these players want to achieve, I think it is straightforward, you have to challenge for the Premier League and also the other trophies and I see no reason why this cannot happen.

“You can see a pattern in the last four years in the Champions League, the semi-finals Chelsea have been present. It’s just one more step. Will I be able to do it in the three years I have a contract with, or one or two, I don’t know. It’s a challenge that we want to take.”

Villas-Boas is also unfazed by Abramovich’s apparent unwillingness to grant his managers time to build a successful team.

“That is the decision of the owner and it is not for me to comment. He made the decision last year to end the contract with Carlo and it is not for me to comment on that situation,” he added.

One of Villas-Boas’ more pressing tasks will be how to get the best out of striker Fernando Torres, who has so far struggled since his big-money move from Liverpool in January.

Torres, however, has insisted the goals will soon start to flow.

He said: “I’m 27. Don’t worry. I didn’t forget how to score goals... I will score. It’s going to be a big season. My form is okay, it’s time to be fit and ready. We have got big expectations and I can see the winning mentality we have.”