AVB Out: The Signs Were There

Article by Nathan Durec

A 5-0 loss at the Lane was just too much. It was Spurs’ worst loss at home in 16 years, leaving the club languishing in seventh place and barely holding onto a Europa spot, let alone competing for the Champions League spot that is considered by most to be the minimum standard of a club of this calibre.

In the post-match media scrum, Andre Villas-Boas appeared to have only a fraction of the confidence of the man who took over the club in July 2012. Stating that he wasn’t a quitter, AVB would speak nothing about a potential firing, saying it wasn’t his decision. And he was right; it wasn’t.

AVB ends his Tottenham run with the best winning record for a Spurs manager since the Premier League era began in 1992. While his record may not have been the reason for his dismissal, there were plenty of other reasons that were.

First, this was a very different year for AVB. It was the first time that he had stayed at a job for more than one season. He had allegedly rejected offers this past summer with a couple other high profile European clubs to remain in London. But this brought out a different side to AVB. Instead of the free-wheeling attacking tactician who was able to adapt to varying situations from last season, he became bogged down in the system he was attempting to build. Rigid and uncompromising, he refused to change this system even when conditions dictated it may be the better option. This enabled other clubs to match up against a quality Spurs lineup and severely limit chances.

Second, there was a lack of a real starting XI. Rumours of dressing room morale issues have been heard and denied, but their persistence rings of at least of modicum of truth. Factor in the constant rotating midfield, which left many players unsure of their standing at the club or in their manager’s eyes and it’s easy to see cracks in the exterior. Already, there are rumours of Lamela possibly leaving in January, Defoe heading for greener pastures overseas, and a worried QPR wondering if Assou-Ekotto’s loan will be recalled. However, given Assou-Ekotto’s Twitter posting of a picture yesterday of him and Adebayor watching the Spurs-Liverpool game, flashing smiles and a 5-finger (in reference to the number to Liverpool’s goals) salute, one has to wonder if they even want someone with that level of disrespect for his parent club.

Third, David Levy couldn’t have been happy about AVB’s recent handling of the media. Reporters love conflict. It sells. But AVB seemed to have looked to make conflict this year. Stating that the media was attacking him or had an agenda only serves to sell their papers and hurt his reputation. It encourages a story that may have died if he hadn’t chosen to keep it alive.

Whatever the reasons, AVB is gone and it’s time to look forward. So, who is out there? The smart money right now is on Fabio Capello. He is the betting favourite to take over the job. His previous working relationship with Spurs’ technical director Franco Baldini at Real Madrid means he already will have an inside man whispering into Levy’s ear. The only thing that may hinder this is that fact that Russia, Capello’s current job, is in the World Cup. Capello has to be smart enough to realise that Russia faces an uphill battle in this summer’s competition. They could qualify out of their group and hope for an easier draw, but the dream will end sometime. Moving back into club football may seem a more attractive option. Capello’s deal with Russia is current under review. Perhaps this is just his way of angling for a better deal with the national side?

Glenn Hoddle has also expressed interest in the vacant job. The former Spurs manager has stated that he would welcome a long or short term appointment, likely so the club could have a more permanent posting in the summer.

Other names being thrown around are current Swansea boss, Michael Laudrup, former Chelsea manager, Roberto Di Matteo, and even Baldini himself.

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