André Villas-Boas

Arruda

I created this thread solely for the reason that I think this guy will eventually become very well known and when that time comes I want to have been the one to create his thread.

He's Porto's current manager, which probably isn't of much interest to most around here, but his ascension is rather peculiar in the way that it happened. Unlike most coaches he was never directly connected to football, never played the game, nor, like Mourinho, had a father connected to football. He was nothing more than a studious fan who once had the nerve to approach Sir Bobby Robson (they were neighbours) and question him on some of his choices. For some reason Sir Bobby was particularly impressed with his knowledge and invited him to go and visit FC Porto's installations so he could learn something about coaching. Eventually the kid stayed working in the observation department at the very young age of 16 or 17.

When Mourinho came to work to Porto (for the second time, as he also worked with Sir Robson here), Villas-Boas became his main observer of opponents and was known for making detailed, technical and accurate reports. He's been with Mourinho ever since, working with him on Chelsea and Inter, at which point he was released to pursue a managerial career on his own.



At 33 years old, being (probably) the youngest ever coach in Porto's history he's been given the task of bringing the league title back to us. He's doing brilliantly so far. He can't avoid the comparisons with Mourinho, as much as he tries, so close that they have been until now. There's no Champions League for us this season (3rd place in the league last year) and the last time we were in the UEFA Cup we won it.

He doesn't seem to be as confrontational as Mourinho but still very confident of himself when addressing the press. A pleasure to hear him talk about the game. This is the sort of brain I like seeing ahead of my team as the alternative would always be an ex-player with a more empiric mentality and less brilliant intelligence, as I perceive a lot of Portuguese coaches to be.

That's it lads, you heard it here first, I'll bump this in a few years time when he's acknowledged in the European football as one of the very best managers around.

The fact that he's starting to capture some media attention (see below) urged me to come and make this thread.

Soccer 2010: Andre Villas Boas, Porto's Boy Genius - WSJ.com


--- END OF SEASON UPDATE (22nd May)---

At 33 years old, being one of the youngest ever coaches in Porto's history he was given the task of bringing the league title back to Porto. Not only has he done that, he’s done a lot more: He won the Portuguese Super Cup, the Portuguese League, the Portugues Cup and the Europa League. As a cherry on top of a cake, the Portuguese League was won in flawless fashion, with 27 wins, 3 draws and no defeats. An unbeatable run that had only happened once (Benfica in the 70’s) in the 77 years of history of the league. Best attack, best defense. As much as he tries, he can’t avoid the comparisons with Mourinho, who also won the three major competitions on his first season. Villas-Boas bettered it though, with the flawless league performance, and a Super Cup as an extra. The only competition Porto didn’t win was the League Cup, a relatively new cup where Porto suffered the first defeat of the season.
It must be added that Villas-Boas achieved these feats with almost the same team that in the previous season ended up 3rd in the same league. Of the first 11, the only changes were the inclusion of João Moutinho for Raul Meireles and Otamendi for Bruno Alves.
Villas-Boas is a fanatical Porto supporter. He is living the dream of every young kid who doesn’t play football but spends hours playing football coaching simulation games in computers. And in the process, his accomplishing feats that the most optimistic fans weren’t dreaming of at the beggining of the season. From a newcomer with only 6 months of experience as a main coach, not much more was expected than bettering the disappointing previous season. Now all Europe is curious to see what will be the next challenge on his career. Porto supporters hope it will be guiding them again next season, and see how far this team (if not reaped of it’s best players by the unforgiving summer transfer market) can go in the Champions League next year.

Tonight the season officially ended with an exciting 6-2 win in the Cup final. Now there’s nothing else to do but wait for the next season, when a few doubts will be dissipated. Will Villas-Boas fulfill his promise and stay with us? Will we manage to hold our main players (or at least some of them)? How will Porto’s choices in the market fit in next year? How will our young talents progress? James Rodríguez ended the season in superb form, and other talents are expected to arrive soon (Iturbe being the most anticipated one). Whatever happens, this will be a very interesting team to watch next season, even if we’re all aware that doing better is (almost) impossible. But if there’s a chance, it can only be with this man at the helm.

phelans shorts

What is his style of play like? Is he seen as being as negative as josé? A very interesting story he has too, we need more of these stories in football.

Arruda

Well it's very early to make an assumption of that type. So far I think Porto's football has been spectacular compared to last season (we're playing the same 4-3-3 but we have more possession). Thing is we're favourites on all our league games (baring Benfica and Sporting away) and on the Europa League we haven't really been faced with strong opposition. Perhaps next season on the Champions League we can have a better idea of how he will set up the team against stronger opposition.

While Mourinho was at Porto his football wasn't regarded as negative yet, I think only on Chelsea's 2nd or 3rd season he started being faced with that label.

MUFC07

Interesting, very very interesting; or as you'd say, interesante, muito muito interesante.

Read the link PS, you lazy austrian-swedish cnut.

VoetbalWizard

he's living the dream of most lads on here. would love to see him be a smashing success (not at the expense of united ever though).

phelans shorts

Shush you, I was still attempting to work out the connection to Aston villa's boss!

VoetbalWizard

boas > woy

BAMSOLA

I think its actually a good idea to have more coaches in the game who haven't played professional football. I've never understood why the lack of a professional playing career should hold somebody back from becoming a succesful top flight manager.

In many cases people coming from outside of a playing career will be more better educated and intelligent than the average pro footballer turned coach, and sports psychology will teach most of them to understand the mentality of the professional footballer better than they would have done without it.

I'm all for it. Sure they might get stick from players who say they haven't played the game but an intelligent thinker can overcome those objections easily.

Good on Porto's coach.

surf

The lack of visibility prevents them from getting the job in the first place. It's too easy for a club to appoint someone like Shearer instead of actually looking for the best candidate.

BAMSOLA

Absolutely,

I just think many will have to start further down the ladder coaching youngsters and build a rep whilst progressing before even being a viable candidate in most Chairmen's minds but i'm just stating that I don't see why a lack of playing career should be a barrier to managerial success at the top level.

Ambivalent

Interesting stuff. He has a cool name

Arruda, who are this year's breakthrough stars for Porto? How's Walter and James Rodriguez doing? Is Fernando continuing to progress well?

Arruda

Fernando is still the defensive backbone of our midfield, though Villas-Boas doesn't want any midfielder to only participate on defensive actions so he has more responsibility carrying the ball and making breakthrough passes and so far I'm enjoying it, he's a more complete player with room for improvement.

James never played, he actually never sat the bench on an official game I think, we may see him in the future but so far he doesn't play. Walter still seems out of form and has been playing 10 to 15 minutes at a time (when Falcao is subbed) with nothing worth of notice.

By far the best positive impact this year is Hulk who's on a superb form again (lots of goals and assists) and Joao Moutinho that fitted our midfield like a glove, seems an improvement in comparison to last year's Meireles. Belluschi is also playing a lot better. Otamendi only started playing the last two matches, we're yet to know if he will become definite first choice or if he's just playing to give a rest to the first team CB's (Rolando and Maicon).

Ambivalent

Thanks for that. I find it very interesting to hear from fans of foreign clubs; particularly one who create so many stars as Porto.

Otamendi looked pretty poor at the World Cup but was playing out of position. Still, considering Porto's recent history of central defenders (Andrade, Carvalho, Pepe, Bruno Alves), I'd bet he becomes a top player.

Москва2008

He's one to look out for. I recently heard of another precocious European manager Thomas Tuchel (37) who has taken the minnows of 1. FSV Mainz 05 (nice name) to the top of the Bundesliga.

Ambivalent

Good call on Tuchel.

I've also heard several Germans rave about Jurgen Klopp who is in charge of Borussia Dortmund. They're second in the league and have bought very well in Lewandowski and Kagawa in the Summer.

kouroux

Very interesting thread.Good job Arruda, I will definitely keep an eye on him from now on

maniak

You jinxed him with this thread, congratulations. First time this season he doesn´t win and he was sent off.

That aside, top manager, he managed my team last season, Académica, before he moved to Porto. We went from 3 points in 7 matches playing like shit to a confortable mid-table position and playing some atractive football.

I have no doubts he´ll be managing a top european club in 3/4 years.

Arruda

Exactly. If you read the article I posted in the opening post you'll see his work is also mentioned and praised. Impressive results so far, and he already faced some of the toughest Bundesliga oposition away.

Thank you. Definitely worth it to keep an eye on.

You're right

I had a bad feeling about this game, whenever a pessimistic fan like me is at a winning streak we always think of the next game as the one which will put an end to it. Still, 7 points clear with 7 games gone. I couldn't hear his reaction to the game but I'll check upon it now. First time his reaction to a result other than a victory.

Arruda

Update:

After celebrating just one year as a professional coach, and 4 months at Porto, he keeps breaking records. It's the best start of Porto in internal competitions for the past 25 years (a few weeks ago it was, now it's possibly the best ever). I think we are currently along with Real Madrid and Manchester United the only teams in Europe with no defeats in official matches this season. 18 games, 16 victories and two draws (one in the Portuguese League and one in Europa League).

Yesterday we managed our greatest result ever for the league (in almost 80 years of competition) against Benfica, our biggest rivals and reigning champions. 5-0, it was a perfect game. It was his biggest test so far. Though Benfica had a terrible start, they were recovering on the table and came from 5 consecutive wins, certainly the only other candidates for the title this season.


1-0 Hulk ---> Varela
2-0 Belluschi ---> Falcao (brilliant finish)
3-0 Belluschi ---> Falcao
4-0 Hulk
5-0 Hulk (110 km/h)

It's important to note that beyond Moutinho (to replace Meireles) this is the same team from last year, but the difference in motivation and performance from most players has no possible comparisons. We seem unstoppable on our league. We'll have to wait for the later stages of Europa League to try and find an average opposition. We are clearly favourites to win this competition, only Manchester City's squad is better on paper but English teams usually don't care much for this competition.

Internally, he's making it easier than ever:




A bright future ahead of this guy seems an almost certainty by now.

Aboutreika18

I was going to bump this thread as well, Arruda. Great win, although Benfica are currently a shadow of the fluid, attacking side they were last year. Jorge Jesus didn't help himself by moving David Luiz to left back, where Hulk had a field day with him but Porto thoroughly deserved it.

Carl

Interesting thread. Cheers Arruda.

Arruda

We already went to Sporting away this weekend and managed a draw. With United and Madrid's losses Porto is now the only undefeated team in Europe this season. This was the cover of a Portuguese newspaper today, referring to United and Porto being the only unbeaten teams.



Bah, it will hurt when it comes. And it was rather close this last game, Sporting played better most of the time, and we had to hold off the 2nd half with one player less.

phelans shorts

They should do there homework, there's also Valletta.

Arruda

Ah the bastards. They're not on the Europa League though, were they eliminated with away goals in draws?

EDIT: Yep, they were.

phelans shorts

Yep, out on away goals with 2 draws.

Maciek

He's gonna be on of greatest football manager. You can quote me.

Elliott

"He's gonna be on of greatest football manager."

-Maciek

Maciek

2-1 against Rapid Wien, 87th minute.

Still unbeaten.

Edit: 3-1, 88th.

Arruda

On the snow, well done, Falcao hat-trick.

Epic

The Exceptional One

Red Pavan

I'll give you this, he is the best scout on FM

jgraham

Raven Blade

BBC - Phil Minshull: Villas-Boas makes Porto the toast of Portugal again

Decent BBC article on him and his Porto team. They seem to be emerging as a real force again and plenty of credit must go to him for that. I see they are unbeaten in 25 games in all competitions this season. That's very impressive and the intricate detail that Villas-Boas manages his team with echos the style of Jose Mourinho.

There may well be something "special" about this guy.

The Flying Potato

I keep on reading the thread title as "Aston Villa Boss"....really fucking annoying.

Edit: Wait....it's his name?! Oh dear god...

Sarni

Me too, and I keep thinking it's going to be an ironic take on Houllier's spell at Villa.

Anyway, his record at Porto is impressive but you cannot forget they're only in Europa League which isn't really the pinnacle of football world, Lech Poznan have only lost one game in that competition and were in a much tougher group than Porto. In fact some pretty average sides have managed to get very good records in the competition. Portuguese league isn't the best either, they had one tough game at Sporting and struggled to a draw there. Yes, his record is impressive but it's early days and for me he'll have to prove he can work his magic when tougher opposition come knocking at their doorstep.

Sean_RedDevil

Me too

Epic

Beating last year's champions 5-0 isn't much of a feat then?

Justin

Yeah, I've signed him as a scout before.

Sarni

It's one game, you can't name someone a new Mourinho when he's only done so much. And you also have to bear in mind the fact that Benfica have been poor this season, even Hapoel beat them in CL where they were eliminated by Schalke and Lyon - neither of whom are big guns really, and both found beating Benfica comfortable.

MadDogg

From that article.

Ever since their 5-0 thrashing of current champions Benfica in November - after which Villas-Boas publicly tore apart the tactics of his opposite number Jorge Jesus and told him how and why Benfica had been beaten - talk has been rampant about the possibility of Porto going through the season undefeated, at least in the league.

Sounds like something Mourinho would do.