Saturday, February 25, 2012

André Villas-Boas

Luís André de Pina Cabral e Villas-Boas (born 17 October 1977), known as André Villas-Boas or by his initials AVB, is a Portuguese football manager, currently the head coach of Chelsea. He has no experience as a professional footballer. He is also known for his animated celebrations in his team's dug-out.

Villas-Boas's plans to start his career as a professional player never became a reality. His career in management began courtesy of then manager Sir Bobby Robson as a 16-year-old. This came about as Robson was Villas-Boas' neighbour who saw his enthusiasm, who invited to a FC Porto training session in the mid-90s before subsequently offering him a job in the club's youth set-up and he became an interpreter. Villas-Boas gained his UEFA C coaching licence at the age of 17, before moving to become the head coach of the British Virgin Islands national team at only 21. After a spell working as the head coach of the British Virgin Islands national team at only 21. He returned to Porto picking up his B and A licences and became assistant manager to José Mourinho. He worked under Mourinho at Porto in Portugal, Chelsea in England (in the Opponent Observation Department (OOD)) and Italian club Inter Milan. He left Mourinho in October 2009, to pursue a career as manager and became appointed of Primeira Liga side Académica de Coimbra. He impressed finishing 11th in the of the season, also reaching the Portuguese League Cup semi-finals.

Villas-Boas attacking style gained praise and attracted many club, before being appointed at Porto, this time as head coach. He won first title when Porto defeated Benfica 2-0 in the Portuguese Supercup. He added to this in his impressive debut season when he won the Portuguese Primeira Liga unbeaten, the UEFA Europa League and the Portuguese Cup titles. In this he equalled Mourinho's record and furthur followed in his footsteps when he resigned in the summer and after the Blues met his record €15 million buyout clause and sign for Chelsea swapping the Estadio do Dragao for Stamford Bridge. His €15 million (£13.3 million) move from Porto to Chelsea is the most expensive ever by a manager.

Personal Life
He has been married since 2004 to Joana Teixeira, and has two daughters. Villas-Boas speaks English fluently[dubious – discuss], having been taught by his paternal grandmother Margaret Kendall, whose mother moved to Portugal from Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England, to start a wine business. Her brother Douglas Kendall was a World War II hero who flew as a wing commander in the RAF. Villas-Boas' paternal great-uncle José Rui Villas-Boas was the viscount of Guilhomil, a title initially bestowed on his father José Gerado Villas-Boas by King Carlos I in 1890. Villas-Boas' brother João Luís de Pina Cabral Villas-Boas, is a Portuguese stage and television actor. He appeared as the character Criado in the lavish, costume drama Mistérios de Lisboa (Mysteries of Lisbon).

From : www.wikipedia.org