Andre Villas-Boas
T
wo years ago, Andre
Villas-Boas crashed a
car into a sand dune
while competing in the
Dakar Rally. Shaken but
with no broken bones,
he quit the race and
returned to his family in Portugal.
As a metaphor for his coaching career,
the accident was apt. The man who
had been the youngest coach to win a
European competition – the 2011 Europa
League with Porto, aged 33 – had hit the
buffers and retired hurt.
The clubs he has led during his career
would light up any veteran manager’s CV- Porto, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur,
Zenit and Shanghai SIPG – but it is easy
to forget that Villas-Boas is only 42, with
many years still ahead of him.
And so it has proved this season at
Marseille, where he has breathed new
life into a club that was struggling to
compete not only with Paris Saint-
Germain, but also the pack chasing the
remaining European spots in Ligue 1.
Under AVB, Marseille have established
clear blue water between themselves and
the rest. As the closest challengers to
runaway league leaders PSG they are on
course for automatic qualification for
the Champions League.
Villas-Boas’ achievements this season
are all the more impressive given the
financial constraints that he has been
working under. The club are running a
considerable deficit and the coach
received no playing reinforcements in
the January window.
Last summer, the signings of Dario
Benedetto and Valentin Rongier were
paid for by the departures of Lucas
Ocampos, Luiz Gustavo and Clinton N’Jie.
Another summer arrival Alvaro Gonzalez
has been also quietly effective, fitting in
alongside young talent such as Rongier,
Lucas Perrin and Boubacar Kamara – a
centre-back who has been deployed at
the base of midfield.
Villas-Boas has also obtained the best
from the previously under-performing
Nemanja Radonjic and Jordan Amavi,
while the form of OM goalkeeper Steve
Mandanda has earned the 34-year-olda recall to the French national side.
In the absence of the injured Florian
Thauvin, who was due to return in
February, Villas-Boas’ clever use of
Dimitiri Payet has been instrumental in
his side’s revival, with Payet’s outstanding
goals against Saint-Etienne and Toulouse
helping to solidify OM’s second place in
the league.
“Barcelona are Messi dependent,
Juventus are Ronaldo dependent. If
we’re Payet dependent, we’re Payet
dependent,” says Villas-Boas, whilealso acknowledging the importance of
Mandanda, adding. “With these two at
this level we can continue to believe.”
At Chelsea, AVB’s youth ultimately
counted against him, with critics noting
his close relationship with the players.
But a more mature coach has emerged
in the south of France, with Marseille
sporting director Andoni Zubizarretta
explaining: “In training he speaks four
languages. At press conferences he does
not look for excuses or controversies.
“He does not send subliminalLeading the Marseille revival
Headliners
Mature...OM’s AVB“Barcelona are Messi dependent,
Juventus are Ronaldo dependent.
If we’re Payet dependent, we’re
Payet dependent”