Seems it wasn't all AVB's fault, FrancoBaldini, the Director of Football at Tottenham was also to blame -
Villas-Boas had declared himself ‘immune’ from criticism.
Yet despite underachieving at two major English clubs, AVB has a remarkably high opinion of himself and a remarkably low tolerance for anybody who questions him – as several Chelsea players could testify.
Four years younger than Ryan Giggs, AVB bombed alarmingly at Stamford Bridge and yet still walked into another plum job thanks to Daniel Levy’s keen eye for the fashionable.
Levy, former boss of the low-end tailors Mr Byrite, despatched the old school Harry Redknapp despite two top-four finishes in three seasons.
And he returned to his favoured ‘continental’ management model, employing Villas-Boas and then Franco Baldini – Mr Buywrong – as his & technical director.
Back in August, at the high tide of hysteria over his £110million trolley dash for
the north Londoners, the Italian silver fox was billed as an arch boardroom schmoozer.
Baldini had contacts. He had charisma.
He’d make Tottenham truly cosmopolitan. Champions League regulars. Title contenders.
Baldini broke Tottenham’s transfer record three times in one summer on Paulinho, Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela.
Gareth Bale would not even be missed. In fact, Spurs would be even stronger without him.
Before the north London derby on September 1 – when Spurs had bought seven players while Arsenal hadn’t spent a note – Arsene Wenger was accused of sour grapes for casting doubt on his rivals’ spending spree.
Yet in hindsight, the Frenchman’s words look strikingly wise.
“There is a technical risk when you buy more than three players because you unbalance the stability of your squad,” he said. “I know in England it’s seen as a good thing to get new players, but it’s difficult when you bring in so many to predict how well they will do.”
Arsenal do not have a technical director and, days before the capture of Mesut Ozil, Wenger seemed to be dithering in the transfer market.
So when he was asked about Baldini, the ­Gunners boss invited further derision by casting doubt on ­Tottenham’s set-up.
“If a director of football buys the players, when they don’t work you are guilty for not using them well,” said Wenger.
“When they work, he has bought well. I’m not against having people to help me buy and sell but I think the final decision has to always be with the manager.
“He is the one who is responsible for the team’s style and results. It makes sense that the manager chooses the players who come in.”
As Baldini’s recruits struggle to settle into a team devoid of a goal threat, Wenger’s words must haunt Villas-Boas.
For it is the Portuguese coach, rather than Baldini, whose job is under threat after the Etihad meltdown.
Even though Baldini was AVB’s choice for the role, he will survive if the manager is sacked – and with Spurs in mid-table before Manchester United’s visit on Sunday, Villas-Boas is on borrowed time.
Yet was Baldini really such a shrewd appointment?
And why were his former club Roma so relaxed about his exit?
Perhaps because the ambitious Italian club failed to qualify for Europe last term.
More than any other signing, ­£30m Lamela was Baldini’s project.
Even though Spurs had England’s Andros Townsend and Aaron Lennon in the Argentinian’s favoured right-wing position (not that Baldini, after four years as England’s assistant &manager, had any time for English footballers).
Even though Lamela was said to be less than keen to come to England before Roma’s eyes lit up at the colour of Tottenham’s money.
The Bale cash was burning a hole in Levy’s pocket, belying his reputation for parsimony and ball-busting deal-making.
While Liverpool clung on to Luis Suarez and United kept Wayne Rooney, Spurs flogged Bale – and Levy had the glory of extracting a world-record & transfer fee from Real Madrid.
Summer tantrums can quickly fade once transfer windows shut.
Rooney and Suarez, more troublesome characters than Bale, have both knuckled down.
Yet Spurs took the money and early indications suggest Baldini has blown it.
Villas-Boas isn’t blameless, of course.
He committed the cardinal sin of criticising his own supporters, while boring the pants off people who live with a sense of fatalistic romanticism but at least demand entertainment in exchange for their inevitable heartbreak.