Chelsea Hire Andre Villas-Boas As Manager

LONDON: Andre Villas-Boas became Chelsea's seventh manager in eight years on Wednesday when he was hired by the Premier League club on a three-year contract.

The 33-year-old Villas-Boas, who is often compared to fellow countryman and former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, will start work immediately at the London club, having resigned from his post at Porto on Tuesday.

Villas-Boas succeeds Carlo Ancelotti as manager at Stamford Bridge following the Italian coach's sacking on the final day of last season, despite winning the Premier League-FA Cup double the previous year.

"Andre was the outstanding candidate for the job," Chelsea said in a statement. "He is one of the most talented young managers in football today and has already achieved much in a relatively short space of time.

"His ambition, drive and determination matches that of Chelsea and we are confident Andre's leadership of the team will result in greater successes in major domestic and European competitions."

Villas-Boas' contract with the Porto was terminated after they received payment of (euro) 15 million ($21.5 million) to trigger his release clause from the Portuguese champions.

With Villas-Boas having never managed in the Champions League, the appointment could be seen as a risk, given Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's desire to win Europe's premier club competition.

However, Villas-Boas is so highly rated that he has been dubbed by many as the "Mini-Mourinho," after the current Real Madrid coach who has been one of the most successful managers in Europe in recent years.

Chelsea is familiar with Villas-Boas following his spell as a scout for Mourinho at the club from 2004-07.

"Andre will bring his coaching experience back to a club he is already very familiar with, having previously worked here for three years," the Chelsea statement read.

"He has always been highly regarded at Chelsea and everyone here looks forward to welcoming him back and working with him."

Comparisons with Mourinho were reinforced last month when Villas-Boas emulated his mentor by winning the Europa League, the second-tier European competition which Mourinho lifted with Porto in 2003 in its UEFA Cup format.

Porto had already won the Portuguese league by then, sweeping to the title in an unbeaten campaign in his one and only season with the club.

He was previously coach at Portuguese side Academica for a year.

Claudio Ranieri, Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink and Ancelotti have come and gone under Abramovich since he took over in 2003.

Chelsea went without silverware last season after it came second in the league and was eliminated by Manchester United in the semifinals of the Champions League.

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