da leao： Andre Villas-Boas’ name is one that is no doubt familiar with both Tottenham fans and Jose Mourinho in particular.
da fazobetai： The 42-year-old was Mourinho’s right-hand man at both Porto and Chelsea, before eventually leaving his side to pursue his own managerial career. That of course led him eventually to the top jobs at Stamford Bridge and then later Spurs themselves.
It is exactly why Daniel Levy and supporters of the north London side may therefore be keeping an eagle eye on Joao Sacramento over these coming months and years.
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With Villas-Boas and Rui Faria both going off and doing their own thing, Mourinho had to find himself a new assistant when taking the Spurs job, and the 31-year-old Sacramento was the man deemed to be the perfect fit.
David Adams, the Football Association of Wales Trust technical director, spoke glowing of Sacramento’s credentials after helping him during his time as a student. He said: “Joao is very meticulous, determined and motivated. He lives and breathes football. You have to make a lot of sacrifices and he has done that – football is his entire life. He will spend his whole life analysing and observing football. He is that type of individual. I am sure that will work well with Mourinho.”
Being only 31, Sacramento is the youngest assistant manager in the Premier League, and is younger than the likes of Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris for example. It was quite the major statement for Mourinho to turn to someone who is certainly in the infancy of his coaching career, but he is certainly someone who has an enormous gift.
Steve Savage – head of sport at the University of South Wales – gave a snapshot of the kind of mentality that Sacramento possesses, and it’s something the Spurs hierarchy will no doubt be aware of now.
He revealed: “It was always quite clear that he had a real understanding of the game. His attention to detail is frightening. His opposition analysis, his analysis of how teams play and what’s needed to break them down. He’ll sit and work tirelessly to find flaws in opposition systems, sometimes working 16 or 20 hours to find any opportunity he can to win games.”
This is quite clearly an individual with a hunger and desire to be the absolute best, regardless of the kind of personal strains and toll it can have. Being a top-level manager requires inordinate amounts of dedication, and the Portuguese man appears to have it in abundance.
The way those who have seen Sacramento work and learn up close speak of him, suggests Levy in particular should continue to keep a close eye on him. Having seen Villas-Boas tread a similar path, it could very well be that Spurs have their own Mourinho successor right under their very noses.
Meanwhile, Spurs had a lucky escape by missing out on this £27m-rated ace.