What can Chelsea fans expect from Villas-Boas? [Part 2]

Referring back to the Mourinho handbook (part one) his rules showed how Mourinho intended to create an all inclusive group dynamic, this is why Mourinho is as popular with his backroom staff as he is with his squad. The rules insist that his players treat the support staff with due respect. ‘I am made to feel I am as important as John Terry,’ said one of them at Terry’s inauguration as the PFA Player of the Year last week. On an earlier occasion, on the flight back from Chelsea’s pre-season tour of America, Mourinho presented the award for the best contribution to the trip’s success – an expensive piece of artwork – to kitman Stuart Baxter, who had had his work cut out keeping players and staff happy in the sweltering heat.

Andre Villas Boas on his first Interview on Chelsea TV also referred to the importance of a similar group dynamic:

“don’t expect something from one man, expect us to create a group dynamic of everybody getting together, fans getting together, getting excited, motivated, a new way of communication, new leadership.”

Often when Boas is speaking he communicates in plural, “we”, “us”, “we are a technical staff”, he hardly talks in the singular, this all inclusive group dynamic seems to be the basis of the anatomy behind the success of Sir Bobby Robson’s protege’s. Having everyone pulling together, the fans, the staff, the players, all pulling in one direction to achieve this foundation is why ego’s cannot be tolerated.

The foundation of an “all-for-one, one-for-all solidarity” seems to instill a hunger and a confidence, in one of Andre Villas Boas press conferences he talked about fans believing that formations were key, whereas he thought that it was motivation. When Boas mentions Chelsea wanting him for his “human qualities” I perceive that to allude to the psychological aspect of management, Boas explained in his first interview exclusive to Chelsea TV:

“We are a technical staff that focuses a lot on unlocking potential. Everybody has a little bit more to give and in day-to-day life, that is how everybody progresses in their careers. We feel that the players are the same and you have to stimulate them and motivate them to look for the things that they didn’t try before.”

My belief is where you see a lot of Mourinho’s qualities in Andre Villas Boas isn’t in tactics, approach or identity to the game but in this specific area of motivation. Many of the Chelsea players cite a particular team meeting at which Mourinho pointed out to the likes of Frank Lampard, Gudjohnsen and William Gallas that, for all their wealth and fame, they had few, if any, medals to show for their work, this is a prime example of how Mourinho created and encouraged a hunger, again, Andre Villas Boas in the preview to his first Chelsea interview briefly mentioned his own hunger, the lexicon of words used and approach especially when it comes to motivation between Mourinho and Boas is markedly similar.

Sir Bobby Robson recognises the air of invincibility created by his former protégé. ‘Jose has made the Chelsea players believe in each other,’ he said. ‘John Terry doesn’t just have great self-belief, he trusts his team-mates as well. Chelsea’s players look around in the tunnel before a game and don’t think they can lose. That stems from Jose.’

Porto Keeper Helton gave his assessment on what Villas Boas brings:

“he brought an enormous will to win to our team and fostered a great spirit of sacrifice among all of us. He’s a coach who is close to the players and talks a lot with us. He is always interested in knowing our opinion about every matter and gives freedom to the players.

“When I found out he would be the coach I was curious. Fortunately, he has lived up to my expectations and I think he will have a great career as a coach, not only at FC Porto, where he has already proved his worth, but also abroad, if he wishes.”

Many critics could not wait for Mourinho to fall flat on his sun-tanned, stubble-strewn face. One of the reasons he has lived up to his boasts is his ability to take some of the attention, and so some of the pressure, away from his players. Both managers seem to try to foster an environment where their players will walk through a brick wall for them.