Learning From His Mistakes: The Second Coming of Andre Villas Boas

Next Monday marks a year since Andre Villas Boas was dismissed as Chelsea manager - not that he'll be too bothered. Tottenham are in fine form and preparations for the crucial derby showdown against Arsenal this Sunday will be his most immediate task.

Gareth Bale could turn water into wine, the current form he is on. But Villas Boas should be given credit for the way he has quietly gone about developing a squad which now look like posing a serious threat to Manchester City's second place spot.

Gone is the stubborn attitude he stood by at Chelsea. Michael Dawson was considered surplus to requirements at the beginning of the season; he's now back at the heart of the Tottenham defence. Villas Boas made hasty, bold decisions with regards to his player policy at Chelsea under the illusion this would earn him respect.

Villas Boas's willingness to restore Dawson to his starting line up is a sign of change and for a highly competitive squad such as Tottenham's it's important to know that your manager won't turn his back on you. Villas Boas needs to utilise the large and talented squad at his disposal, with Tottenham now serious contenders in the Europa League. Keeping everyone pulling in the right direction is crucial. He's started to realise this during his time at Tottenham; Hugo Lloris had to rightly wait his turn before claiming the No.1 goalkeeping jersey.

Villas Boas's playing style is working far better than it did at Chelsea too. At Chelsea he had the unfortunate problem of accommodating and trying to revive the fortunes of Fernando Torres. Jermain Defoe is more to Villas Boas's liking; fast, quick on the turn and lethal in front of goal. Villas Boas's enthusiasm can be seen from the touchline and this rubs off on his players. Defoe looks revitalised this season; Villas Boas has implemented a steely motivation that hasn't been there in the last few years.

Villas Boas was a sound replacement for Harry Redknapp. Redknapp built solid foundations but there was a sense at the end of last season that Tottenham were going backwards. They needed to be more daring, more innovative. Villas Boas wants attacking football, with an emphasis on flair which starts at the back. The players at Tottenham, like those during his time at Porto, are perfectly suited to such a style.

Kyle Walker and Jan Vertonghen are talented with the ball at their feet and Tottenham look more comfortable in possession this season then they did the last. Villas Boas knows that his team pose a big enough threat with with a 4-5-1 formation that includes Gareth Bale. The extra midfield position goes to Moussa Dembele who adds finesse and vision to the pace in front of him.

Villas Boas, true to the mould of a modern manager, works hard on the fitness of his players and this is paying dividends. Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon have steered clear of injury and are showing no signs of wear coming off the back of the Christmas period.

Villas Boas's has taken things in his stride far better this season too. He's remained philosophical after loses to Man City and Chelsea, from positions where Tottenham could have gone on to win. He's not being asked to justify his selection policy constantly or why he can't get the best out of a £50 million pound striker. At Chelsea he got caught up in club politics.

Keeping characters like Emmanuel Adebayor happy is no easy feat either. It's clear that behind the scenes he is taking a more relaxed, pacifying approach. Failing to address the ego's of Didier Drogba and co. at Chelsea seems to have served as a painful but useful lesson for Villas Boas. At Tottenham he's spending more time on the training ground, adding his fresh approach to an already strong side.

The way Villas Boas has been handling Gareth Bale's situation is particularly refreshing. Rather than becoming increasingly paranoid like Arsene Wenger Villas Boas is unashamedly singing Bale's praises - most recently calling him an inspiration. He is not entertaining the thought that he may lose his star man. Their relationship appears strong; Bale went over to embrace his manager after his winning goal at Upton Park. Villas Boas is taking the right approach, encouraging Bale and letting him do the business on the pitch. What will be will be in the summer and Villas Boas is learning to accept and work around this.

The Half-Time Quiz: Football General Knowledge

 

 

See how many of these you can get right. There are twenty questions overall, ranging from managers to kit sponsors to club nicknames.

 

Answers are at the bottom of the page.

1.  Where was Martin Jol managing before he took the Fulham job?

2. Who was the top scorer, due to the highest number of assists, at the 2010 World Cup?

 

3. Where did Arsenal sign Olivier Giroud from?

 

4. Who sponsor Watford currently?

 

5. What was the last trophy that Arsenal won and what year?

 

6. Which Italian side did Paul Gascoigne play for?

 

7. Who was the coach of England during Euro 2000?

 

8. What nationality is Edison Cavani?

 

9. Who is Liverpool's top Premier League goalscorer ever?

 

10. Who play their home games at Deepdale?

 

11. How old was Theo Walcott when he was included in the England squad for the 2006 World Cup?

 

12. Who missed Chelsea's crucial penalty in the Champions League Final against Man United in 2008?

 

13. What number did David Beckham wear for Real Madrid?

 

14. What is the name of Swansea City's Chairman?

 

15. Who won Euro 96 when football came home?

 

16. To which famous footballer is Sergio Aguero son-in-law?

 

17. Which three teams were relegated from the Championship last season?

 

18. Where did Emile Heskey start his career?

 

19. What club are nicknamed 'The Yellow Submarine'?

 

20. Who is the current coach of the USA national side?

 

 

 

 

1. Ajax
2. Thomas Muller
3. Montpellier
4. Football Manager
5. 2005, The F.A Cup
6. Lazio
7. Keven Keegan
8. Uruguay
9. Robbie Fowler
10. Preston North End
11. 17 years old
12. Nicolas Anelka
13. 23
14. Huw Jenkins
15. Germany

16. Diego Maradona
17. Coventry, Doncaster, Portsmouth
18. Leicester
19. Villarreal
20. Jurgen Klinsmann

What Became of The Likely Lads?

 

There are two enduring images that surfaced amongst the Portuguese press in the aftermath of the Euro 2004 Final. One was Cristiano Ronaldo's uncontrollable tears - the boy wonder reflecting the hurt of a nation. The other being Luis Figo's solitary figure trudging off the field, stooped in thought as the cameras worked hard to capture the inconsolable nature of a finals defeat. Figo's surviving compatriots Rui Costa and Fernando Couto, who would both announce their international retirement with immediate effect, shared Figo’s painful realisation that the chance of a fairytale ending for Portugal's Golden Generation had been stifled by a well organised Greek outfit.

 

Expectations had always been especially high for Portugal's Golden Generation, having won the Fifa World Youth Championship in 1989 and then again on home soil in 1991. After a period of stagnation post - Eusebio Portugal was producing players with serious ability. Victor Baia and Fernando Couto provided a solid spine, Nuno Gomes a threat in front of goal and flair players were in strong supply with Joao Pinto, Sergio Conceicao and Rui Costa who gave the side an extra dimension in the No. 10 role. Top of the class was Luis Figo, blessed with a precise delivery which would carve open the world’s finest teams in due course.

 

 

Figo was perhaps the only player of the pack capable of sliding straight into any side in the world. Carlos Queiroz, coach of Real Madrid at the time, said of Figo in 2003 - "You could put Figo in a phone booth with 11 opponents and he would find his way to the door. He'd beat them all and dribble his way out". His drilled effort at Euro 2000 was a reminder to English fans that there was a player outside the Premier League capable of matching David Beckham's talent. A well deserved Ballon d'Or confirmed Figo's brilliance in December of the same year.

 

 Pig’s heads and Barcelona fans aside Figo is held in high regard by the footballing world and his stature has only improved since retirement. Still playing in 2003, Figo set up the Luis Figo Foundation, inspiring Victor Baia to set up his own foundation in 2004. Both foundations seek to help children realise their potential as individuals and citizens through sport.

 

 By day Figo acts as an ambassador for Inter Milan. With the slicked black hair, crisp suits and an uncanny resemblance to Jose Mourinho Figo’s role consists of attending functions across the globe, promoting the Inter Campus Initiative. Labelled a non-profit social project the initiative runs in 25 countries serving a similar purpose to Figo's own foundation.

 

 

Equally fascinating and admirable is Figo's ambassadorial support for the Stop TB Partnership. Part of the global fight against tuberculosis, one of his contributions was to have himself fictionalised in comic books. The story follows Figo and a group of teenage girls and boys, who defeat a team of tuberculosis germs. Married with three daughters Figo may never see a son of his own continue his legacy. But his refreshing enthusiasm to take on numerous projects is a measure of the man. Witnessing one of the underprivileged youngsters from his foundation cut the mustard at a professional level would be, one suspects, just as gratifying for Figo.

 

 The Golden Generation came close to silverware on a number of occasions. France, inspired by Zinedine Zidane overcame Portugal and an incensed Abel Xavier at Euro 2000. In Germany six years later Zidane’s penalty made the difference once more. It was England who were the fall guys for a team who, led by Figo, were desperate to progress to the latter stages of Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, fully aware that time was catching up with them. Rui Costa's exquisite effort, hammered past David James at 91 kmph left England shell-shocked in 2004. The goal would have been the difference but for Frank Lampard's equaliser.

 

 

Praise for Rui Costa has never been short in supply. Named in Pele's somewhat dubious Fifa 100, which included El-Hadji Diouf amongst others, Rui Costa's reputation landed him a role as Director of Football at his beloved Benfica immediately after his professional retirement. Currently continuing the role, Rui Costa determines the manager and players that arrive at Benfica, a powerful position for a former player with no previous experience. His purchases have helped Benfica and Portugal keep up with the rest of Europe. The signings of Ramires and Javi Garcia were vindicated by a first league title in five years and both players have since moved on for large fees.

 

 Fernando Couto has achieved relative success since retiring too. Handed the Director of Football role at Braga in 2010, he was appointed assistant manager at the beginning of the season. Aspirations to disrupt the status quo of Rui Costa's Benfica and Porto at the top of the Portuguese league may well see the ambitious Couto take over managerial duties.

 

 The Golden Generation have all retired gracefully bar Nuno Gomes, who is chasing a final pay check at Blackburn. Their stature at an international level has elevated the likes of Figo, Rui Costa and Fernando Couto to promising positions within club football. Still, the Golden Generation’s continuing influence on Portuguese football is unsurprising. Their hunger for success, installed at an early age, was always going to serve the players well upon retirement.

 

 

Figo knows how to carry himself, having led by example for Portugal and rumours continue to circulate that he will replace his old international adversary Zidane in a technical role at Real Madrid. Having surrounded himself with gifted players throughout his career Rui Costa’s eye for talent is beginning to come to the fore at Benfica.

Portugal have unprecedented faith in their former stars. Joao Pinto, another member of the Golden Generation works closely with the national side. With the rapid and successful promotion of former international stars Pep Guardiola, Oliver Bierhoff and Laurent Blanc to posts at both a club and national level this approach appears to be working. England – take note.