Chelsea wasn't a good experience, I've no fond memories: Andre Villas-Boas

Andre Villas-Boas spoke to TOI exclusively about his roller-coaster journeyFar from flaunting that constant frown while manning the technical area at the Stamford Bridge or White Hart Lane, Andre Villas-Boas now wears a relaxed and happy smile. The Portuguese coach, once considered the brightest young phenomenon, won the Europa League with FC Porto when just 33. He was patched and peeled at Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur; enjoyed a decent ride at Zenit St Petersburg.

His last tour stop was Olympique Marseille, where he had a raucous year and a half. Here on a three-day visit, where he has held football sessions with underprivileged kids and made a visit to the Taj Mahal, Villas-Boas talks about the game he loves. Excerpts...You started taking coaching lessons when you were 19.

Isn't it too early? What inspired you to choose this as a career?Yeah, my path was very strange, different from the normal. I finished high school and went straight into coaching badges. I took the coaching badges very early, and then the pro license.

And then I grew within the youth levels of FC Porto. So I was coaching all the age levels till I got to the senior team. So meeting Bobby Robson was a trigger?Yeah.

That was the trigger because I was going into journalism. My grandfather was a sports journalist. So I decided to go into journalism.

When I was about to take that decision, I met Sir Bobby, and then everything changed. What are the best moments of your coaching career so far?The biggest reward for me was coaching my own team (FC Porto). I was born in Porto and from that day itself I became a member.

I have 44 years of membership in Porto. I have coached Porto through all of the youth levels, including the senior. I have been a scout for them.