Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has revealed that he doesn’t plan on playing mind games with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Scot is famous for his love of mind games with opposition managers but the new Chelsea boss says he doesn’t want to be drawn into psychological battles with the veteran boss.
Confrontational
The 33 year-old told the Daily Star Sunday: “ I have the utmost respect for Sir Alex. I’m not a confrontational guy.”
“It’s not just a question of me taking on Sir Alex or the other Premier League managers. It’s a question of a top club like Chelsea challenging for the title again.
“Last year, we ended on a very good run to threaten for the title in the last couple of games. I want us to be up there at the beginning.”
Mistake
It would be a mistake for Villas-Boas to try and take on Sir Alex Ferguson at mind games. The Scot has honed the art over the last 30 odd years of his managerial career. He has turned it into an art form.
The veteran Scot has got the upper hand on many a rival boss through psychological warfare. He has had some interesting battles with likes of Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger and infamously Kevin Keegan when he was boss at Newcastle.
Not many bosses have came out on top of the Scot in the mind games stakes. Sir Alex has won games in the press conferences before the games, intimidating opposition managers and teams by scathing comments giving his side the psychological edge.
Special
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is regarded as one of the of the best in the business at mind games. Yet when he was manager of Chelsea even he didn’t try to play mind games with the Scot. It proved an astute tactic.
Villas-Boas is close to Mourinho and it seems he has gained lots of knowledge from his former-boss. Villas-Boas was Mourinho’s protégé and it seems he has learnt a lot from his compatriot.
He was part of Mourinho’s backroom staff when the self proclaimed ‘Special One’ was boss at Chelsea. The former-Porto boss must have observed how Mourinho was successful at Stamford Bridge and must now try to emulate the former-Inter boss.
Impressive
The 33 year-old has shown a great maturity as a boss and humility to his opponents. Although Villas-Boas is a completely different character to Mourinho but he is still a winner. Last season his Porto side managed to do the treble of Portuguese League, cup and Europa League.
Gamble
Villas-Boas is very ambitious and a move to Chelsea proved that ambition. Chelsea have taken a gamble in appointing such an inexperienced boss. However the Blues took a gamble when they appointed Jose Mourinho.
That gamble paid off no-end and maybe the appointment of Villas-Boas will prove just as successful. The young boss has started off on the right foot by not trying to play the master at his own games.
I do have a feeling though that over the next few months and years his team will get under Sir Alex’s skin on the pitch, rather than off it. And I’m sure most fans would rather Chelsea win the battle and not just the war of words.
Can Sir Alex entice Villas-Boas into mind games?
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