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Villas-Boas evades Redknapp row

Jermain Defoe netted twice for Spurs at Reading © Getty Images

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Andre Villas-Boas brushed off criticism that he over-complicates the game of football, insisting he was under no pressure at Tottenham ahead of Sunday's 3-1 victory over Reading.

Villas-Boas finally earned his first league win as Spurs manager at the Madejski Stadium, thanks to two goals from Jermain Defoe and one from Gareth Bale. The relief on the Portuguese's face was evident after the second Spurs goal - which effectively killed the game, but he laughed at the suggestion that he was already under pressure to produce.

"I've no idea about meetings with the chairman. I talk with him every day and I am not under pressure at all," Villas-Boas said. "But I am extremely happy because the players put in tremendous commitment and responsibility into the game.

"In previous games against West Brom and Norwich we had chances to go 2-0 up and get a different result, but we weren't able to put the ball into the net. But we did it this time and that gives everyone a boost of confidence."

Claims were recently made about Villas-Boas by ex-Burnley chief executive Paul Fletcher, after the Spurs boss once interviewed for a job at Turf Moor. In his book, Magical: A Life in Football, Fletcher said: "The language and jargon of football gets worse by the day. Villas-Boas uses a lot of it. Would Burnley players have ever understood what he wanted if he'd told them to 'solidificate' or some of his other terms?"

More recently Harry Redknapp, former Spurs manager, took his own swipe at modern managers like Villas-Boas, saying of those who produce lengthy 70-page dossiers on opponents: "B******t can baffle brains."

Villas-Boas, though, refused to rise to the issue, responding: "I'm not sure if Harry was mentioning that about Jose Mourinho, but if he is, it is very strange. He's not referring to me because I don't use those situations.

"Managers have different leadership styles and ways to go about their business. But in the end it doesn't matter if the manager is old-fashioned, old school or always looking towards the future.

"It is about the players that take us to success. When they feel your convictions you can sell them your ideas a bit better and take them to important results."

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