FanPost

Villas-Boas Speaks!


One thing I learnt from his time at Chelsea is that Villas-Boas is happy to talk. He may not give the journos Harry-esque quotes from the inside of his car, but he is quite open with his current thoughts. Just do a quick Google search and you will find various articles of AVB waxing lyrical on his preferred tactical style of play and musings on his time at Chelsea. He quite obviously wasn't prepared for the media backlash he faced whilst at our west London rivals, but I think I can safely say that we all hope he has learnt from his mistakes and will bring the kind of success he achieved at Porto rather than the contention at Chelsea to Tottenham.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/aug/17/andre-villas-boas-luka-modric-spurs?CMP=twt_gu

This short interview he gives, talks of signings, Modric and a small insight into his vision for the club. His most important comments so far, if only because they are the most recent. Now he doesn't speak at length of finding a striker, which many of us think is a top priority - in fact I personally don't think a midfielder is a priority whatsoever when we are so lacking upfront...but I trust in AVB. He speaks of our failed attempts, but he also says that he has identified targets and that "It's a question of how quickly we can close the deals."

Progress. And speaking of progress, we have a de facto captain in Michael Dawson, who we nearly all think won't be part of a first choice pairing next year. Stripping someone of captaincy is no easy thing, but not having your captain play every week is also tough. We were in a strange state with Ledley King. A living, playing legend who couldn't play regularly due to injury, but there was never any doubt that he was our man to lead us out. Behind him Dawson has been quite the servant to Tottenham and I think he will always be remembered fondly, but now is a good time to look at our resources and consider our options. I don't want to presume who our next captain may be, but I am glad that AVB is sensitive to the fact that we already have one...one who has been loyal to the club and who has some great things for Tottenham. The more vocal leader when King was stuck in a treatment room. In some sense, Dawson lead the team whilst King was in absentia. I do like however, the fact that Villas-Boas is looking to the future. We cannot realistically have another club captain who is not a first team starter. We need leadership on the pitch, and whether that is Parker or Kaboul or a name from an as yet unknown quarter, I for one am glad that the subject is being breached. If it turns out that Dawson plays his way into the team and is once again our regular man, then hell, give him that armband and let him carry on...but I think that now is the time for us to have a leader who can do so by performance and not only example.

In any case, I am glad that our new manager, one of whom so many questions will be asked of as this new season gets under way, is willing to stand up and ask the tough questions and explain his reasoning in a decent and logical fashion. I hold no ill will to anyone, if they can explain to me why they chose their course of action...and it makes sense.

Come on you Spurs.

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