New Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is the legacy of Sir Bobby Robson – George Burley

Andre Villas-Boas, Oporto

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The new Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has been hailed as the late Sir Bobby Robson’s legacy by George Burley.

The 33-year-old was officially confirmed as the Chelsea manager on Wednesday, with the Blues paying £13.2 million to Porto to activate the release clause in his contract and sign him.

Sir Bobby sent the Portuguese coach to Ipswich 10 years ago to shadow then-manager Burley for a fortnight.

“Bobby told me the boy Villas-Boas was going to be something special in the coaching world – he never stopped asking questions,” Burley told The Mirror.

“Andre is a legacy of Sir Bobby Robson, 100 per cent. Bobby took him under his wing when he was a neighbour, just an interested kid really.

“Bobby being Bobby did all he could to help him along. He called me at Ipswich and Andre spent two weeks at Ipswich totally shadowing me.

“He was a delight to have in the building. He came to all the training sessions, meetings with the board, etc and everyone liked him.

“He was inquisitive, alert and well mannered and I thought that Bobby had found something special.

“Jose Mourinho is a legacy of Sir Bobby who gave him a job as his interpreter at Barcelona, but Andre is even more so as Sir Bobby took him under his wing at an early age.

“It is warming for me to know that Andre has got the Chelsea job and if there is anyone who will pay attention to every detail it is him.

“There was no better person to learn your trade under than Sir Bobby Robson.”

Villas-Boas joins Stamford Bridge fresh from winning the treble of the Portuguese league, cup and Europa League with Porto last season.