The Portuguese will need to appease Luka Modric and Gareth Bale while adding to his resources in defence and attack
1 Resolve the Modric situation
Tottenham's playmaker wants Champions League football and that's on offer at Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United. Can AVB convince the Croatian to hold tight for at least a year, in the hope Spurs return to Europe's top competition in 2013-14? If he can't, the expected signing of Gylfi Sigurdsson may ease the blow of Modric's departure, especially as the Icelander may better balance André Villas-Boas's preferred 4-3-3 formation
2 Sign a new centre back
Tottenham have plenty of talent in the centre of their defence, but none of it is a surefire, long-term bet: Ledley King is on his last legs, Michael Dawson has been out injured for some time, and William Gallas isn't getting any younger. Steven Caulker, returning from a successful loan spell at Swansea, may be the answer, but if Villas-Boas decides the 20-year-old is not quite ready, he may need to dip into the market
3 Keep Bale happy – within reason
Gareth Bale's new four-year deal is great news for Spurs, but the player's ambitions will need to be kept in check. Bale is world class out wide but if last season is any guide, distinctly average in the middle of the park, where he has pretensions to play. Villas-Boas needs to gently disabuse the player of his Beckham-like desire to move away from where he shines – a test of the manager's ability to handle big egos with sense and sensitivity, something he failed to achieve at Chelsea
4 A new striker
Harry Redknapp has left Villas-Boas an attack-minded squad – albeit one light on actual attackers. Emmanuel Adebayor's loan period has come to an end, and Roman Pavyluchenko has left. Only Jermain Defoe of the big-name strikers remains, and he's not particularly happy with his role as a bit-part player. Daniel Sturridge could fill the gap
5 Good PR
Villas-Boas has much else on his plate – from sourcing a long-term replacement for the goalkeeper Brad Friedel to attempting to persuade his old Porto charge João Moutinho, below, to join him at White Hart Lane – but perhaps the most crucial task is to get the Spurs support onside. A section of the fanbase are sceptical in the wake of the Chelsea debacle. A modest acknowledgement of his mistakes at Stamford Bridge – even if they were blown out of all proportion by an unfairly critical media briefed by Chelsea's old guard – would help win hearts and minds, and buy him time he might otherwise not enjoy should his reign get off to a slow start Read More
انسخ الكود التالى و ضعه فى موقعك او مدونتك.
