Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has shared a poignant memory of former Tottenham manager André Villas-Boas, revealing the emotional impact of his dismissal in December 2013.
On the latest episode of his podcast, Walker described Villas-Boas as “so, so nice” and recalled the tearful scene that followed his sacking.
“I’ve got tears running down my eyes… Michael Dawson is welling up,” Walker said, highlighting the deep connection Villas-Boas had with the Spurs squad.
The Portuguese manager had taken charge of Tottenham in 2012 and narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification in his first season.
However, the departure of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid in 2013 for a then-world record fee significantly impacted the team’s fortunes.
Despite reinvesting in the squad, Spurs struggled, and Villas-Boas was eventually dismissed following a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Walker expressed regret for the team’s failure to perform well enough to keep their manager in his job. “Bale was a massive loss,” he said. “There’s a lot of changes there and we just never really gelled in time for him [Villas-Boas] to then do well.”
Despite the team’s shortcomings, Walker praised Villas-Boas’ impact on the dressing room, emphasizing the emotional response from the players to his departure.
“For 10 or 12 men to be crying because the manager’s gone, he’s done something well in the dressing room,” he said.
