AVB: "I refuse to build a team like City...

[BlueTG]

ITS JUST LIKE WATCHING BRAZIL, stupid git ;o)

 

[Balti]

who?

 

[Rammyblues]

Stating the bleeding obvious. We have an Italian Manager, we have italian coaches, D Platt played in Italy the odd man out is Brian Kidd. We are playing football the like that I have not seen before, we have the meanest defence and have scored the most goals, his loss not ours.

 

[Number10]

... I don't like the standards of their football". "city is an italian team, they follow the italian standards."

This has come from a portugese journalist and is being retweeted by Duncan Castles which possibly carries a bit of weight?

Cheeky arrogant little freak if true

Seems it's not true: from the link provided earlier in the thread, <a class="postlink" href="https://twitter.com/#!/rcatalao" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://twitter.com/#!/rcatalao</a> , which seems to be the original source, there are only three tweets about City:

#AVB: "If I saw City playing in Italy, I would say that's where they actually belong." #Chelsea #CFC

#AVB "City is a very organised, efficient, well-balanced team. All they want right now is to be champions" #Chelsea #CFC

#AVB: "There's an exact formula to be successful in PL.And that's what City is doing right now: attacking efficiency above all" #Chelsea

Seems like the comment "I refuse to build a team like City... I don't like their standards of football" Duncan retweeted has been added to stir things up, and the rest of the tweet has been rephrased from the first quote above.

Of course, it's subjective to perceive if it's a compliment or an offence to say that City belong in Italy, but he doesn't seem confrontational in his other comments so I think it's not meant in a derogatory way.

I do find that the tweet-interview gives rather interesting insight into his thoughts about his work at Chelsea:

"At #FCPorto I was a coach/supporter. Here at #Chelsea I'm a professional coach"
"Coming to #Chelsea was an opportunity. Premier League is the best league in the world, everyone wants to be here."
"There was something telling me to accept it. Even if my family had another opinion."
"If everything goes on as expected, we'll have the whole package to win in the future. We're still in two competitions this year"
"I've been told by Abramovich that he'll change what I've asked for"
"To change these players culture is a task that takes time to complete. And you have to do it while you continue to win"
"There's an unequal battle going on here: to keep the team believing while trying to succeed on the pitch."
"I'm completely committed to what I'm building here. I don't see myself coming back to FC Porto in a foreseable future."
"There's no lack of player's support here. The players support me. But this team was built to win four trophies."
"We're exactly at the same position we were last year but with a less experienced coach."
"Mourinho chants came from Birmingham supporters and not from Chelsea's. That's non-news, as happened with Drogba's alleged team talk.
"We've been through this Torres situation before, with Kezman and Shevchenko."
"Torres' problems may also come from a philosophy change here in."
"Lampard is still on our top 5/6 in terms of usage rate"
"Lampard's been on the bench sometimes because of our strategy. Like in Napoli: we played with two defensive-midfielders and Mata
"We conceded a lot of goals from the left. That's one of the reasons why we brought Mata to the middle."
"On the other hand, we still haven't find a player to replace Mata properly at the left wing."
"As an explosive winger, Hulk would fit well in our team. Hulk and other players we've been looking at."
"There's an exact formula to be successful in PL.And that's what City is doing right now: attacking efficiency above all"
"Guardiola's message is so powerful. Some of his ideas can win outside Barça and I feel he wants to do it in other team"
"City is a very organised, efficient, well-balanced team. All they want right now is to be champions"
"Abramovich's work is unbelievable. 3 PL titles, 3 FA Cups, Champions League final... his success is truly overwhelming."
"If I saw City playing in Italy, I would say that's where they actually belong."
"I wouldn't change #Chelsea for Barcelona right now."
"My resumé was what separated me from Mourinho, Guardiola and Ferguson [in the battle for world's best coach award]"

 

[r.soleofsalford]

avb has a valid point. why would anybody want a relatively youthful team who sit two point clear of their nearest rivals, and with the best goals for and goals against, when they could instead have the most expensive flop in world football and ageing squad languishing 17 points behind the leaders.


well done avb your playing a blinder

 

[Blue Haze]

So the media are once again out to deceive rather than inform.

His actual quotes don't come across as anything like that.

 

[Andouble]

"I wouldn't change #Chelsea for Barcelona right now.""

[/quote]


what a blowhard.

 

[rossonero]

These quotes are contradictory

"And that's what City is doing right now: attacking efficiency above all"

And also that we "belong in Italy"

How exactly can those two statements be reconciled?

Outside of English stereotypes, "playing Italian" doesn't really mean playing defensively. We all have different stereotypes of each other. The Italians think we're all shit plodders who can't control a ball.

Well, that can be true fifteen years ago. Nowadays i never heard someone say that about english football; bad things about english football and premier league that an italian can think are:
"Did english football exist? There is no english player in premier league and their natial team is crap, even Capello can't do anything about it."
"All their teams are sell out. No more soul, no more passion, only russian, american and arabs toys"
"English player can't keep their pants on"
but there is good thing too, lot of good thing:
"Premier League is the best league, but serie A is still the hardest" (but due to Man United bad european result, no one said that anymore, now we say:"Liga can have the two strongest team but liga it's still crap becouse there only barca and real")


About the meaning of "playing italian": more tactical, closed defence and slower.
But i think that what player are used to do is more important that the idea of the manager

 

[Number10]

So the media are once again out to deceive rather than inform.

His actual quotes don't come across as anything like that.

Well, as I understand it: up til now I've seen two online versions of the same interview, and none of them states anything like "I refuse to build a team like City... I don't like their standards of football", and I do believe it would have been an insta-headline if the interview contained that phrase.

Guardian article: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/feb/27/chelsea-andre-villas-boas" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012 ... illas-boas</a>

André Villas-Boas fears he may be fired in same way as Carlo Ancelotti
• Portuguese under scrutiny with Chelsea in a form slump
• 'We are now in the exact same moment as last year'

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Reuters
guardian.co.uk, Monday 27 February 2012 18.03 GMT
Article history

Chelsea's manager André Villas-Boas says he does not know whether the owner will continue to support him or follow 'the cultural pattern'. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
André Villas-Boas is unsure if he has the backing of the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and wonders if he will be sacked in the same way as his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti was last May, the Portuguese coach said on Monday.

"We are now in the exact same moment as last year," Villas-Boas told Portugal's TSF radio. "It is an exact copy.

"I think I have felt the confidence from Abramovich but … the pattern of behaviour of the owner has led to a downfall [of coaches] in similar situations or even 'better' situations.

"What will be the reaction? It will be one of the two, a continuation of the project and full support or just the cultural pattern that has happened before. We don't know."

Villas-Boas has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks with Chelsea in the middle of a form slump and media reporting a rift with several players.

Daily Mail article:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2107270/Hulk-Andre-Villas-Boas-radar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... radar.html</a>

AVB targets Hulk reunion as Chelsea boss admits Porto star is on his radar
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 7:14 PM on 27th February 2012
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Reunion? AVB is interested in signing Hulk
Andre Villas-Boas has admitted Porto star Hulk would be an ideal signing for Chelsea.
Blues boss Villas-Boas revealed the Brazil forward, who helped him win an incredible quadruple in Portugal last season, fits the profile of the kind of player he would like to recruit this summer.
Chelsea will almost certainly have space in their forward line next season, with both Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou set to leave when their contracts expire.
Florent Malouda has a further year to run on his deal but has previously expressed a willingness to move on in search of more regular football.


Villas-Boas told Portuguese radio station TSF: 'We have Kalou and Malouda, both of whom are nearing the end of their contracts, while Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge are the future.
'As such, there will surely be a place to fill and I see room for an explosive player on the wing, someone who is strong in one-on-one situations and Hulk fits that profile.'
Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa has claimed Hulk has an £85million release clause - something even billionaire Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is likely to baulk at.

Price tag: The Porto star has an £85m release clause in his contract
Negotiating with Porto proved futile last summer when the Blues tried to sign wing-back Alvaro Pereira, with Pinto da Costa reportedly still smarting from Villas-Boas' decision to quit the Estadio do Dragao for Stamford Bridge.

Thumbs up: But AVB's position at Chelsea remains under threat
If there had been a problem between them, they appear to have buried the hatchet, with Pinto da Costa having invited Villas-Boas to watch the Portuguese champions' Europa League defeat at Manchester City last week.
'I was very proud to be invited by Pinto da Costa to sit next to him,' said Villas-Boas, who played down suggestions the move was an attempt to lure him back to Portugal.
'Returning to Porto will always be a huge source of pride, but right now I am completely motivated with my work at Chelsea.'
An improved relationship between Villas-Boas and Pinto da Costa would certainly not hurt Chelsea in any future transfer negotiations.
The Blues have been linked with midfielder Joao Moutinho as well as a renewed bid for Pereira. Villas-Boas said: 'They could surely play in the Premier League and at Chelsea.'
Whether Villas-Boas gets to spend that money will depend on Abramovich, amid speculation the Russian has been considering sacking the 34-year-old.
In what was an interview that took place before Saturday's pressure-relieving Barclays Premier League win over Bolton, Villas-Boas said he felt he retained the "confidence" of Abramovich.
But he added: 'The pattern of behaviour of the owner has led to a (manager's) downfall in similar situations or even 'better' situations.
'What will be the reaction? It will be one of the two, a continuation of the project and full support or just the cultural pattern that has happened before. We don't know.'

Everything points to that Duncan is stirring things up, knowingly or unknowingly.

 

[SuperKevinHorlock91]

This is why Chelsea are where they are now.....