What can Chelsea fans expect from Villas-Boas? [Part 3]

This word “Identity” was used by Ancelotti when he talked about Chelsea’s problems before he took the helm, he wanted to create an identity for the club, similar to the way that Johan Cruyff wanted and succeeded in creating an identity for Barcelona when he was the manager there.

A more accurate translation for identity in English is philosophy, the problem you have when you have a revolving door managerial problem at a club with no defined philosophy of it’s own is that each manager who are bound to have their own “identity” enforces their ideas on the club, but, it’s short lived. Mourinho as an example will always be further down on any managerial shopping list that Barcelona curate as there would be a clash of identities between the clubs philosophies and the managers.

The club with the most clearly defined identity is Barcelona.

“We train the youngsters to be good people with a healthy lifestyle and help them to be happy with their way of life,’ says Albert Capellas, the club’s senior youth coordinator.

“It’s very important for us that the boys have respect for others. They have to be good people, like gentlemen.

“When they play matches we impress on the boys three objectives,” says Capellas.

“Firstly, they must be the more sporting team, committing fewer fouls and being less aggressive. Then they must try to win by playing very well, more creatively than the opposition, with attacking football. And finally they need to win on the scoreboard. But we don’t want to win without the first two aims being fulfilled.”

As you can see identities are not limited to your approach to the game, but also your values in life and your values as a person. In terms of personality there’s an argument that a managers character is reflected into his teams, Mourinho’s Chelsea were defiant and bullish, Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea can be considered too passive, right now Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal can be as erratic as he has been on the touchline. I believe that for instance, Arsene Wenger’s footballing ideology and the instructions he sends his players out to complete is only part of what forms the team’s identity.

Understanding Andre Villas Boas personality rather than just his footballing ideology can give us a window into what will be the character of our team.

Dacourt who worked with Andre Villas Boas at Inter Milan was quizzed on his character, he told BBC Sport:

“Andre can be a better manager than Mourinho.

“We have seen the student outgrow the teacher in the past and this can happen now with Villas-Boas at Chelsea.

“He learned much from Mourinho but is very different. He is more human.”

He added:

“He is young, but he knows so much about his job already. And as well as being a top coach, he’s a fantastic person.

“I had some problems with Mourinho, but Villas-Boas always acted like nothing had happened. When a player has a problem with the manager it usually affects relationships with all the coaching staff, but he was brilliant.

“He has a great human touch and the players all loved him.”

Olivier Dacourt’s comments is not the first reference to José Mourinho’s ‘cold side’ it’s interesting to see that Villas Boas doesn’t seem to share that trait as he’d maintain a relationship with those players. At this point it’s difficult to distinguish whether or not having a ruthless side has been detrimental to Mourinho, there can be an argument that having such a ruthless side can be positive as it creates a ‘fear’ that can keep players in line, however, when someone receives such treatment without just or valid reason it is surely a negative character trait.

Glen Johnson has said that he has not forgotten or forgiven Mourinho for the way he was treated during his time with Chelsea.

“I got the feeling that I was finished at Chelsea the day Mourinho signed another right-back, Paulo Ferreira.

“Mourinho told me that wasn’t the case. The lowest point was when Chelsea were set to play Barcelona in the Champions League.

“We had a couple of Premier League games to play before we played Barca, and Mourinho picked me for one of those games and told me in front of five witnesses that if I played well I would keep the shirt.

“I immediately told my agent that it didn’t matter how well I played I would be dropped – because Mourinho wouldn’t want me anywhere near the team for the Barcelona game.

“Sure enough, I was voted man of the match – and I was dropped from the squad. You would have to ask Jose Mourinho what his reasons were, but I know it was because he didn’t want to see me play well again and be forced to pick me for the Barcelona game.

“Managers have to stick to their word. You have to be able to trust them. “It was obvious Mourinho didn’t believe in me.”