Finding Love in a Hopeless Place

Jamie Barnard on André Villas-Boas' second chance at Tottenham Hotspur...

André Villas-Boas is on the rebound. Less than six months after being callously cast aside by Chelsea he finds himself entering into a relationship with near neighbours and arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur. One man’s loss is another’s gain.

For Tottenham, Villas-Boas is anything but sloppy seconds. Appointed as Carlo Ancelotti’s successor late last June, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had snared his man after an expensive and lengthy pursuit. Having led FC Porto to a hat trick of domestic trophies in his first season, including overseeing an undefeated league campaign for The Dragons en route to the title, Villas-Boas was hot property.

Abramovich got his hands burnt.

Young, fresh, exuberant, Villas-Boas was everything that Chelsea had failed to be in the preceding season. Successful, a European champion, mesmerising, Villas-Boas was everything Abramovich wished Chelsea to be in the forthcoming season.

With a core of ageing players, seemingly on the decline, Abramovich’s enthusiasm had gone much the same way as the champagne from Chelsea’s last trophy celebration. Flat.

André Villas-Boas is not a man who wastes time with flirting or foreplay. Early on his mark was made, his intent signalled. Frank Lampard unfancied, whispers told a tale of a disgruntled Didier Drogba and a disenchanted Nicolas Anelka departed. But, unfortunately for Villas-Boas, whilst transformation was the intention, revolution became the reality.

To the oft alluded to Chelsea player power, the owner-manager relationship had again fallen victim at Stamford Bridge. The romance was whirlwind, the honeymoon period barely concluded before divorce proceedings had begun. "The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early" the Chelsea website read. Tainted love.

Lessons learned, during his unveiling at White Hart Lane Villas-Boas claimed: “I've learned in a club you have to trust the right people at the right time”. Misplaced trust, betrayal. Tricked once, Villas-Boas is not about to be fooled again.

Fanciful, ornate, poetic, Spurs have been enjoying a footballing purple patch of late. But with each fateful Champions League-winning penalty that Chelsea struck in Munich, the future history of Tottenham Hotspur was shaped. Out of the Champions League for the forthcoming season thanks to Chelsea’s success, the Spurs go marching on, but with two steps forward and one back. Nearly men, nearly again.

The club of Bill Nicholson, Ricky Villa, Hoddle and Gascoigne, Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a long and happy marriage with attractive football. They are besotted by the beautiful game, their love re-kindled under Harry Redknapp. Modric, mercurial. Adebayor, borrowed goods of the highest quality. Van Der Vaart, the petrol forecourt flowers bought in deadline day haste but nevertheless an exquisite talent deceptively disguised by his measly price tag.

Glory, glory Tottenham Hotspur. Almost.

In the purple patch, a stain. A deteriorating relationship between Redknapp and chairman Levy inevitably brought separation. Courted by England or courting England, it was never clear. Playing the field, playing the press, playing the game. Levy was not for playing and the new contract Redknapp coveted will now most likely be found outside of North London.

And so, taking over where Redknapp left off, Villas-Boas walks into a job where his first priority will be to stop any form of decline. The climb back to this level was a long one for Spurs, one they will not want to make again. Champions League football is where Redknapp set the bar and, having had a taste of it before, Tottenham’s top talents want more of it.

Modric will leave. Van Der Vaart barely has the staying power to last 90 minutes, never mind more than three years at a club. Adebayor was only on loan. The exception? Prized asset Gareth Bale has penned a new deal having himself previously made murmurs of Champions League football. He was born to play for Spurs.

Tottenham’s great hope is staying; they await the arrival of the glory.

And Villas-Boas’ intentions are indeed glorious. In his first press conference as Tottenham manager he spoke of a desire to retain Adebayor, he seduced with talk of aiming for a first league title since 1961. Arriving with him as assistant is Steffen Freund, a man steeped in Spurs’ culture, immortalised in the club’s hall of fame. In this partnership if Villas-Boas is the seduction, Freund is the contraception.

For André Villas-Boas this is a second chance. He has been loved and he has been lost, but in Tottenham Hotspur he may just have found a partner for life. At Spurs, however, he will need the very one thing that he was not afforded by Chelsea, time.

Here he will not find the obtrusive personalities that prevented him implementing the style that had served him so well on a deeply-engrained Chelsea squad. A little patience will give him the opportunity to build on the progressive work done by his predecessor Redknapp. Villas-Boas has the chance to prove himself once more.

And if he can do all of the above, they may just re-name it ‘White Heart Lane’.