• Premier League

Villas-Boas aims dig at former Chelsea players

ESPN staff
July 28, 2012
Andre Villas-Boas has hinted that the Chelsea squad was difficult to work with © PA Photos
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Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has slammed his former Chelsea stars, claiming his Spurs players are a better group to work with.

Villas-Boas was sacked by the Blues in March amid rumours that top players in the dressing room had forced him out.

And as Tottenham prepared for their pre-season friendly clash with Liverpool in Baltimore, Villas-Boas, who replaced Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane, was quick to praise his new squad.

"From my perspective I've been adapting to the players," Villas-Boas said. "They are a great group who are enjoying what they are doing.

"I think the warmth of the group is excellent to see, and you know two different groups react differently. And we've that the spirit within this group has been fantastic - it's different from what I had in the last year."

Villas-Boas also said that Spurs had done nothing wrong with regards to Gareth Bale's Olympic absence.

Bale has not taken part in Team GB's campaign due to injury, but he has appeared for Spurs in a pre-season friendly. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said this week that the player could be banned were a complaint made, though the FA has no intention of doing so.

"I can understand the frustration for missing a player of Gareth's dimensions involved with Team GB, but everything was done as it should be," Villas-Boas said. "It was approved by the FA doctors regarding his injury, so for me it is the end of story.

"[Blatter] has decided to speak, maybe not knowing the full extent of the situation. They are unfortunate comments, but I can't make any more comment because he is the FIFA president."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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