Source: Daily_Mail
How Bobby Robson started the career of Andre Villas-Boas
ShareThe late Sir Bobby Robson was credited with influencing the careers of many footballing greats, and Andre Villas-Boas can be added to the list.[LNB]Robson would never have imagined at the time that by responding to a letter from a young Villas-Boas in 1994 he would be igniting the career of someone now regarded as one of Europe's finest managers.[LNB]At 16 years of age, Villas-Boas had not finished his studies when he noticed that Robson, then manager of Porto, was living in the same apartment block as him in Portugal's second city.[LNB] The new Special One? Andre Villas-Boas has been likened to Jose Mourinho[LNB]Robson, already recognised as one of the best coaches around having achieved success with Ipswich, PSV Eindhoven and England, was just starting life at Porto having been unceremoniously jettisoned by Sporting Lisbon despite leading the Portuguese league at the time.[LNB]He would go on to win the first of three successive titles that year, but for die-hard Porto fan Villas-Boas, the Englishman was making a big mistake in keeping striker Domingos Paciencia on the bench too often.[LNB]The youngster wrote to Robson raising his concerns and the UEFA Cup-winning coach responded by asking him to supply data to support his argument.[LNB]He soon did. Back Villas-Boas sent a raft of statistics and arguments pinpointing why he was correct.[LNB]Robson was so impressed that he offered the Portuguese a trainee position with the youth team's coaching staff, and the rest is history, with Villas-Boas now in the Porto hot-seat and awaiting next week's Europa League final against Braga.[LNB] Mentor: Sir Boby Robson celebrates cup success at Porto with Mourinho (right)[LNB]Robson took the youngster under his wing and, sensing his love of the game and of coaching in particular, sent him to Lilleshall, where he earned his coaching badges. At 17 years old, he was by far the youngest student in the class.[LNB]Villas-Boas went on to gain further experience in Scotland and at Ipswich under George Burley, before returning to the Estadio Dragao.[LNB]Having learned fluent English from his grandmother, who was English, Villas-Boas jumped at the opportunity to take on the role of head coach with the British Virgin Isles.[LNB]His 18-month tenure ended after two defeats in two matches though, and he returned to his homeland to pursue his coaching dream at Porto, where he was offered the role as coach of the under-19 side by the new man in charge - Jose Mourinho.[LNB]Mourinho remembered the attention to detail that Villas-Boas had wowed Robson with and promoted him to the role of opposition scout.[LNB] Early success: Villas-Boas (right) celebrates winning the Portuguese league with his squad[LNB]Villas-Boas took on the mantle of the club's super-sleuth, compiling thick dossiers on the team's next opposition by sneaking into their bases to watch training sessions.[LNB]'It takes me four days to put an entire file together,' Villas Boas said after joining Mourinho to carry out the same job at Chelsea. 'It is very comprehensive. The reports are given to all the players as well as the manager. The idea is that when the players go out on the pitch, they are totally prepared, so there can be very few surprises during the game.'[LNB]Mourinho described Villas-Boas as his 'eyes and ears' and took him to Inter, but his young apprentice was frozen out of the equation when he revealed he had management ambitions of his own.[LNB]The pair do not speak, but Villas-Boas denies that he has a problem with Mourinho, recently describing the Real Madrid manager as 'the greatest coach of all time'.[LNB]Villas-Boas, then 32, got his first crack at club management with strugglers Academica in October 2009 where he led a rock-bottom team to a respectable 11th-place finish. They also reached the Portuguese cup semi-final before defeat to Porto.[LNB] 'Eyes and ears': Villas-Boas was praised by Mourinho[LNB]A wretched third-place finish by Porto, and Academica's heroic performance in the semi-final defeat, persuaded Porto president Pinto Da Costa to replace Jesualdo Ferreira with Villas-Boas.[LNB]Many doubted it could work but they were soon proved wrong as Villas-Boas led his squad to six successive wins in his first month in charge despite selling key players Raul Meireles and Bruno Alves.[LNB]Villas-Boas continued to defy the sceptics and went on to secure the title with five games remaining. [LNB]A record-breaking run to the Europa League final, and the Portuguese's commitment to playing free-flowing attacking football, also alerted his potential to many suitors on the continent.[LNB] Falling out: Villas-Boas left Mourinho and Inter last season[LNB]Chelsea have been linked with Villas-Boas, and should his team beat Braga, who are coached by the same Paciencia that Villas-Boas pestered Robson to put in the Porto line-up, he may one day follow in Mourinho's footsteps by moving to Stamford Bridge.[LNB]With his youth, success and fast-tracked ascent into management, comparisons between Villas-Boas and Mourinho are inevitable, but the 33-year-old wants to carve out a future of his own.[LNB]Unlike Robson, Villas-Boas is determined to have a short career in management, of 10 to 15 years. But if the young manager keeps on winning trophies, it would be daring to bet against the apprentice usurping the achievements of the English master even in such a brief amount of time.[LNB] You can't have the new Special One! Chelsea told 'hands off' Villas-BoasEuropa League: Falcao inspires Porto romp but Benfica take slender lead[LNB] Explore more:People: Bruno Alves, Bobby Robson, Jose Mourinho Places: Lisbon, Scotland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Europe
