By Husmukh Kerai
Andre Villas-Boas says he understands why Chelsea fired him midway through last season, suggesting it has helped him in his new job as Tottenham manager.
The former Porto boss was sacked by the Blues last March with his side fifth in the Premier League and on the brink of Champions League elimination.
However, the 35-year-old says he has learnt from his mistakes at Stamford Bridge and believes the nine months he spent at the club has helped him at Spurs.
“I think they [Chelsea] could have given me the opportunity to continue,” Villas-Boas told France Football magazine.
“But I am fully aware that changing [the manager] was the only way to make an immediate impact on the results.
“What we have been doing at Tottenham with my staff is a reaction to the mistakes we made at Chelsea.
“We did not do everything wrong there, but we could have done better. It [being sacked] did not change the way I see football, but I recognise that I have thought a lot about it.”
Meanwhile current Blues manager Rafa Benitez admits he is struggling to build a relationship with the Chelsea fans, but hopes it is just a matter of time before he wins them over.
“The difference is I was at Liverpool for six years,” he told reporters. “At the beginning, I couldn’t understand their accents sometimes. But little by little, you have more time.
“Now you play one game every three days. So it’s a question of time, but because my contract is until the end of the season, my job is trying to do well. A lot of people appreciate what we are trying to do.”
