Andres Villas Boas

[River Don]

Just reading a very interesting article in the paper about the new Chelsea manager. Apparently he sees himself very much as a protege of Bobby Robson rather than Jose Mourinho. As a teenager the young Villas Boas wrote letters to Robson about football tactics and Porto. Robson took him under his wing.

Robson smoothed the way for Villas Boas to go to Lilleshall aged only 17! Where he got all his football coaching badges.

My admiration for Bobby Robson only grows. Him and Brian Clough represent the genius of British football for me.

[RedJ]

Just reading a very interesting article in the paper about the new Chelsea manager. Apparently he sees himself very much as a protege of Bobby Robson rather than Jose Mourinho. As a teenager the young Villas Boas wrote letters to Robson about football tactics and Porto. Robson took him under his wing.

Robson smoothed the way for Villas Boas to go to Lilleshall aged only 17! Where he got all his football coaching badges.

My admiration for Bobby Robson only grows. Him and Brian Clough represent the genius of British football for me.

If only people had similar attitudes these days. Gotta love Robson.

On a side note, this has been bugging me for years - how do you pronounce Lilleshall?

[River Don]

Lilly-shall

[RedJ]

Cheers I was thinking it was Leels-hall, but I've never been sure.

You've no idea how relieved I am now

[herouk87]

They gave a pretty good bio of AVB on SSN when Chelsea had just paid his released clause

Villas Boas lived next door to Robson when he was Porto manager and as a teenager he'd go round to his house and speak to Robson for hours about Porto and what he'd do if he was gaffer. Basically just talk about football. After doing his badges at 17 he was in the Porto scouting system at 19 before meeting Mourinho. I think the comparisons between Mourinho and Villas Boas are there because neither are really players...Mourinho did a bit before going into coaching

Speaks volumes about Villas Boas and Bobby Robson though, just pure footballing people

[Donnywolf]

Alan Hansen should tell Abramovich NOW !!!

You wont wint owt with kids - especially when they are Managing the Team