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Tottenham Hotspur: Why Andre Villas-Boas Is The Man For Spurs, Not Moyes

by Raj Bains
23 June 2012 14 Comments

Speculation linking Tottenham Hotspur with David Moyes is being replaced with talk of Andre Villas-Boas, and this Spurs fan is keen for AVB to take charge.

"Stop looking at the pies, the ball is over there Frank"

AVB FAQ:

  • Aren’t you put off by what happened at Chelsea? No.
  • Wasn’t his success at Porto a massive fluke? No.
  • Isn’t he going to get hounded by the press from day one? Obviously.
  • Is he too young to be respected? No.
  • Is he actually any better than Redknapp? Only time will tell.

We’ve only been managerless for about four days, but in a shock to the system, it appears that Tottenham are finally being pro-active. Our business, usually conducted at 11.55pm on deadline day, looks to be already in motion. People’s ‘people’ have been hastily contacted, talks are being talked behind closed doors and official announcements look to be coming sooner rather than later. That said, as I write, Jan Vertonghen is as much part of the Spurs playing staff as I am, but that’s a different matter entirely. Over the past few days, the odds of David Moyes becoming our manager have steadily lengthened, with one Andre Villas-Boas replacing him as the odds-on favourite. I for one upon this news breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Luckily, we’re a club with a decorated past, steeped in tradition and set in our ways, we’re not about to go and set that to one side for the ginger George Graham.

I’ve never really fancied David Moyes as our manager. He’s too defensive, his tactics are too reactionary and he wears a tracksuit on the touchline. Where Everton are concerned, he’s done an unbelievable job on a shoestring budget, but that hardly translates to where we are as a club. It doesn’t convey any huge ambition and is an uninspiring step in a sideways direction. He wouldn’t relegate us, but I’m not too sure he’d improve us much either, and I’m fairly certain that whatever happens, it won’t be too entertaining. His record away at ‘the big clubs’ is terrible, and the home one isn’t the best either. Future title contenders? Not under Moyes we’re not.

The way he sets out Everton entirely depends on who they’re playing, his aim isn’t to attack his opposition’s weak points, but nullify their threat going forwards. He plays on the break; focuses on set-plays and looks to win by the odd goal, home or away. Personally, effective as it is, I don’t want to see us play like that. Fergie doesn’t see that he’s got Norwich that week spending his time working out how to nullify the threat of Wes Hoolahan, it’s just not a winning mentality.

I believe that hiring AVB could be in the best interests of both parties. I think we’ll fit, I think we’ll click and I think he’s as close to a soul mate as we could wish to hire.

Chelsea may have won the Champions League by playing typically Moyes-esque football, but I’m convinced that it won’t translate well over a league season, and if Barcelona and Bayern Munich didn’t co-conspire to miss several cow’s arses with several large banjos…actually, let’s not do that to ourselves again. The point is, we don’t have the squad that would lend itself to that type of football, and we don’t have a fan base that would accept it. Luckily, we’re a club with a decorated past, steeped in tradition and set in our ways, we’re not about to go and set that to one side for the ginger George Graham. If Moyes does come in, he’ll obviously get my full support, but after a day’s training where he tries to teach Rafael van der Vaart positional awareness and discipline, I’ll drive him to Schalke myself. With so much attacking talent in our ranks, Moyes would be a waste, and it appears that Mr Levy may well be starting to feel the same way.

So, Villas-Boas, can we be the club that transforms Andre into a giant? Does Andre Villas-KnowUs? We’ve just got rid of a fairly Big Boii, so is it time to bring in Andre3000? I apologise, I got carried away, where was I? Allow me to elaborate on the opening FAQ’s, but first issue a disclaimer as thus; I have managed to convince myself that AVB can be, and will be a success if he gets the job. This probably won’t end up being too objective then, but why would it be? It’s not like the mainstream press play those rules either. There will two positives for every negative, I will mention his suits, I will even praise his trenchcoat and I will definitely be drooling while doing so.

If Daniel Levy succeeds in making A.V.B a Y.I.D, I believe we’ll be in a brilliant position for the start of next season.

But in all seriousness, I believe that hiring AVB could be in the best interests of both parties. I think we’ll fit, I think we’ll click and I think he’s as close to a soul mate as we could wish to hire. The two main reasons behind my confidence are as follows; our squad, our ambition, our style and our hunger mirror that of his unbelievably successful Porto side, and by that same token, are the complete opposite of the aging, self-important, egotistical and fading nature of those at Chelsea. We don’t have any player power, our older players are becoming less important entities of our squad and we have the pace and personnel to implement his tactics with the desired effect. Man for man, our squad is just as good as, if not better, than his Porto side were before they were sold on; all we’re really missing is a Belgian centre-half to partner Kaboul in a high-line defensive four and a record-signing striker that can find the goal with some regularity.

No matter who we bring in, Redknapp’s friends in the press will be desperate for him to fail, and with the added ammunition of his time at Chelsea, if he fails to pick up results almost immediately he could be in for a Steve Kean like mauling. The only thing that AVB will genuinely have in common with Redknapp is that they’ve both been slightly ginger managers of Tottenham, that’s where the comparison ends in my book, but should results prove hard to come by, the red-tops will be falling over themselves to tell us how the grass isn’t always greener, and I’m fairly certain John Cross will be searching the Levy family-tree searching for any distant Indian relatives in order to make his Venky’s comparison finally stick.

I don’t have much more to add, I could spend more time describing how I think we’re a club with lofty ambitions and he’s a young talented attacking manager with a point to prove in the premier league, but I fear I’m steering dangerously close to printing this out, spraying it with my aftershave and sending it directly to him sealed with kiss. In short; if Daniel Levy succeeds in making A.V.B a Y.I.D, I believe we’ll be in a brilliant position for the start of next season.

This was first on Tottenham Hotspur site The Fighting Cock.

Other stories you might enjoy:

Moyes, AVB, Capello Or Martinez? Who Should Replace Redknapp At Tottenham Hotspur?

Harry Redknapp Treated Tottenham Hotspur Fans Like Idiots - I Won’t Miss That

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image descriptionCOMMENTS

Yep 10:38 am, 24-Jun-2012

Moyes is too good for Spurs. Why would he take a step in a horizontal direction? They've been punching above their weight and, with Mordic, Bale and VDV leaving this summer (they will) you'll be a mid-table side at best yet again.

Gary Seed 10:46 am, 24-Jun-2012

"that hardly translates to where we are as a club" ????? Where exactly are you as a club ? We are talking about the trophy winning machine that is Spurs ? Your a deluded cock(rel), dream on mate, Moyes would be the one taking a backward step !!

Luke 10:51 am, 24-Jun-2012

Here Here! COYS

cookiebun 10:57 am, 24-Jun-2012

Absolute rubbish from an amature. Wishful thinking. Now go as far away with this rubbish newspaper/publication/comic as is humanly possible.

Bloggs 11:08 am, 24-Jun-2012

'Decorated past'? Spurs play Christmas tree football. That's why they never win anything, despite their enormous year-on-year-on-year spend. 'Decorated past'. ROFLMAO!!!

IoanX 11:11 am, 24-Jun-2012

I guess you must be joking. Do you think that we have a Hulk or a Falcao? We can't even afford to buy them and to pay their salaries. Most important we don't have anyone at the club to rate such players when they are young and they just start their football career and thus they are still cheap. Can Levy and ENIC match the ambitions of the those running FC Porto through the years? As we know FC Porto plays always a leading role both in domestic as in international competitions. AVB was successful only once in his short career and that has happened at a club in his own country and under certain conditions and with a certain squad including top players like Hulk and Falcao. Nothing more and nothing less. He is totally inexperienced, he looks rather naïve than quick thinker and intelligent and he obviously doesn't have a strong personality and a winner's character. He looked clueless when Chelsea was behind in the score or when couldn't win a game and he has failed at his first attempt to coach a club abroad. I really don't understand why this inexperienced and naïve looking manager could be a candidate at a club like Spurs.

Jennifer 11:41 am, 24-Jun-2012

Comparing a proven Premier League manager, who has constantly delivered top 8 finishes, with one of the smallest budgets in the division, with a second rate Juande Ramos? Joker.

Mike 4:54 am, 25-Jun-2012

Moyes one step back? His best player in the second half of the season was pienaar. A spur. Tottenham has a better squad right now, even if you take modric away. Moyes would jump at the chance to coach them, as long as he still has complete control over things like redknapp did.

N17Yido 8:58 am, 25-Jun-2012

I suggest you dirty northerners shut the hell up and stick to what you know best and thats finishing mid table. Let the big boys go about their work without some stupid little ankle biters like yourselves wasting time with your comments. Spurs would be a massive stup up for Moyes.

Gary Seed 11:43 am, 25-Jun-2012

N17yido... Big boys ? Dirty northerners ? Ankle biters ? I suggest you might have a few delusional problems there kiddo ! Two qualifications for the Champions League doesn't quite make you "big boys" ? Is that the same "big boys" who blew a ten point lead over your rivals ( who incidentally are PROPER big boys ) ? I would suggest you are "BIG BOTTLERS" !!! Check your facts no-mark, you will find that Everton are still the fourth most successful club in England, with three other "big boys" Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal above us. We have always been and always will be a bigger, better and more respected club than you !! Sorry to shatter your deluded world, you scummy southerner.

Raj Bains 9:42 pm, 25-Jun-2012

Thanks for reading, I appreciate everyones feedback. I'd just like it to be taken in to acount that it was originally written for a Tottenham forum's blog, hence the club-centric nature of the piece, and I would have gone about it differently had I known fans of other clubs would become an audience for it, although the sentiment would have remained the same. Also, it was intended less as an attack on Moyes, who has undoubtedly worked wonders at Everton, but more of a pro-AVB piece, as at the time of writing, and still now, feel he has received an unfair ride since his time at Chelsea. It was supposed to highlight the differences between Everton, Tottenham and Chelsea as clubs, and compare, loosely, how taking the template of AVB's succesful Porto could translate in to the current Tottenham ethos and squad, Thanks, Raj.

Gary Seed 11:52 pm, 25-Jun-2012

Raj, thanks for your reply. I actually enjoyed the article but unfortunately got embroiled in the moment and reacted to a mouthy Spurs fan. All the banter is of course good and what can we expect from two sets of supporters who support vastly under-achieving teams, given their past. As for other supporters reading the article, it will always happen when you have news blog aggregators such as Newsnow. Thanks again for an interesting read.

Gazza 3:48 pm, 28-Jun-2012

Put some aftershave on a letter to Daniel levy because his power plays driven by senior management acts like a big negotiator but just a puppet for the higher ups have ruined Spurs potential now u have another year of slog to make the CL

Yid4ever1 12:33 pm, 29-Jun-2012

YEP !!! 4 the record u knob bale has just signed a new contract and is going....... Errm ! Nowhere ;)

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