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Meet Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea's new manager
Chelsea confirmed the appointment of Portugal's Andre Villas-Boas as their new manager on Wednesday as the 33-year-old, who resigned from Porto on Tuesday, agreed to a three-year contract.
Villas-Boas, who led Porto to a domestic double as well as winning the Europa League last season, replaces Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked in May after failing to win a trophy in his second season.
A fact file on the manager:
Born Oct. 17, 1977 in Porto, Portugal.
* Played at amateur level in regional leagues, and according to one of his coaches was a busy midfielder who showed an early interest in tactics. Never played professionally, opting instead to take coaching courses while he completed a university degree in humanities.
* As a 16-year-old Porto fan, Villas Boas contacted the club's then manager Bobby Robson and questioned his team selection. The former England coach was impressed with the teenager's passion, helping him take coaching courses and introduced him to his assistant Jose Mourinho.
* He stayed at Porto after Robson moved to Barcelona and coached at youth level until taking a job as coach of the British Virgin Islands national team in 2000.
* He returned to Porto in 2001 and became a scout under new head coach Mourinho in 2002.
Villas-Boas followed Mourinho to Chelsea and Inter Milan
He followed Mourinho to Chelsea in 2004, working as an opposition scout at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups under Mourinho.
* Villas-Boas then followed Mourinho to Inter Milan, where he stayed for one season, in which they won the Serie A title, before leaving in 2009.
* He joined Portuguese club Academica as head coach in October 2009 with the club bottom of the Portuguese championship and without a win.
* He helped Academica climb away from the relegation zone to finish 11th.
* He joined Porto as head coach in June 2010 on a two-year deal and signed a one-year contract extension in December 2010 that included a 15 million-euros release clause.
Youngest coach to win a UEFA competition
Villas-Boas made a winning start by beating champions Benfica 2-0 to win the Portuguese Supercup.
* Combining defensive solidity, midfield possession and creative flair in attack, Porto became the first team since 1978 to finish the season undefeated.
* Villas Boas became the youngest coach to win a UEFA competition when Porto defeated Braga 1-0 to clinch the Europa League and he completed a treble by winning the Portuguese championship and cup.
More akin to Barcelona's Pep Guardiola
Praised by Porto players for his friendly style, motivational skills and meticulous analysis of opponents that he perfected during his days as observer and scout for Mourinho.
* Though not as controversial as the self-proclaimed "Special One", Villas Boas is no less confident or assertive, using so-called mind games similar to Mourinho's to help his team and creating a siege mentality against a sometimes critical press.
* Some commentators say he is more akin to Barcelona's Pep Guardiola both in terms of temperament -- calm and collected -- and tactics, with his Porto side deploying a high-pressure and passing style used by the Catalan team.
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