Villas-Boas hits back at Redknapp

Rory Smith The Times Published 1 minute ago

Portuguese defends his methods after emphatic victory for Spurs

Andr Villas-Boas launched a robust defence of his methods after Tottenham Hotspurs 3-1 win away to Reading yesterday, dismissing Harry Redknapps suggestion that the Portugueses approach would baffle players. Redknapp, 65, said in The Times on Saturday that elaborate dossiers compiled by managers succeeded only in confusing their squads, a thinly veiled swipe at his 34year-old replacement whose pre-match research is famously meticulous at White Hart Lane. Although Villas-Boas maintains that he has not seen Redknapps comments, he is adamant that the allegation is unfounded, insisting that such an approach is a thoroughly modern one that has worked to considerable effect for Jos Mourinho, his former mentor. Different kinds of managers have different leadership styles, VillasBoas, the Tottenham head coach, said. And different ways they go about their business. I am not sure Harry was [saying the same thing] about Jos, but if he is, it is very strange. He is not referring to me because I dont use those situations, but in the end the most important thing for your team is for you and your players to reach a level of balance towards what is needed for you to reach success. In the end, independent of the manager being modern or being old-fashioned or old school or looking towards the future doesnt matter. The most important thing is that you feel the way you lead, you stand by your convictions and that you can sell your ideas a little bit better and take your players to success. After an uneasy start to his Tottenham career two draws and one defeat in his opening three Barclays Premier League games victory yesterday perhaps marked a turning point. Villas-Boas had taken his team to Reading amid suggestions that he had three games to save his job something he insists had not been indicated to him. He speaks, he says, with Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman, every day and the idea that he might be under pressure had not been mentioned. Thanks to two goals from Jermain Defoe and one from Gareth Bale, such talk will diminish, although the manager must find a way off accommodating an in-form Defoe without alienating Emmanuel Adebayor, his fellow striker, who has been relegated to the substitutes bench.