BODYFLIGHT

Villas-Boas outlines vision

André Villas-Boas has promised a democratic, collective approach as Chelsea manager.

The Portuguese coach has accepted comparisons with José Mourinho are inevitable after being appointed the Blues' new boss on a three-year deal.

Villas-Boas, 33, worked under Mourinho during his Chelsea reign before following the same route to Stamford Bridge by guiding Porto to European and domestic glory.

But while the now Real Madrid coach arrived in England declaring himself 'the special one', Villas-Boas has vowed to foster a team ethic at Chelsea, who paid a reported release fee of £13.3million for his services.

"The main important thing that people have to reflect on is that I don't see the game as a one-man show, I see the game as the getting together of ideas and collective ideas and good players," he told the club's official website.

"Chelsea appointed me basically for human qualities and that is what I want to bring into this club again.

"The most important thing is to motivate the players to get their ambitions right, to reflect again on what the club has achieved in the last six years and we need to keep this route to success.

"We are a technical staff that focuses a lot on unlocking potential. We are a technical staff that incentivises a lot of freedom of choice because in the end, when the players are on the pitch, they face different situations that they have to solve without the help of their manager.

"This is the kind of stimulus that we want the players to have, responsibility and making decisions, because in the end the game is decided by them on the pitch.

"It is a clashing together of two organisations and in the end it is the relationship between all of our players that can lead us to success, and that is what I want to work on."

Chelsea had already been linked with a number of high-profile players before Villas-Boas' appoitment and he admits the club will have to consider their options in the transfer market.

However, he has stressed that his priority is to keep the nucleus of the squad he has inherited from Carlo Ancelotti together.

"I think it is something that is normal for any club to have a look into the market, but it is also normal to respect the things we have and the quality of players we have," he explained.

"So there will be no radical changes. We need to absorb things, respect our winning past and try to focus on 2011/12 as a year when we can continue to win."

Villas-Boas becomes the youngest Premier League manager by four years and was still 17 when he earned his UEFA C licence.

He worked under Bobby Robson and Mourinho at Porto, remaining part of Mourinho's backroom team when he left for Chelsea then Inter Milan.

Portuguese club Académica handed Villas-Boas his first head coach's job in 2009 and despite then repeating his mentor's path to Stamford Bridge, he insists it is merely a coincidence.

"Coaching was not a kind of obssession and neither did I use José as the way to arrive into this path", he said. "It was something that happened naturally.

"I think there is no way you can avoid comparison, it is something that is the interest of the media. I didn't take the Porto job nor the Chelsea job because José made the same steps.

"They are two of the most sought-after clubs in the world and in the end I had the opportunity and was able to make them find something in me that they thought would continue their route to success."

Despite winning the club's first-ever double in his first season, Carlo Ancelotti was sacked after a barren 2010/11 campaign.

But Villas-Boas is not affraid of becoming Roman Abramovich's sixth permanent boss in just eight years in charge.

"Chelsea is a club that in the last six years has achieved so much and people are expecting us to be the same way," he said.

"There is not going to be more or less tolerance for me if I am not successful so this is the challenge I face and I feel confident that we can motivate everybody, not only the players but also the structure.

"I feel confident I can respond to the ambitions of the supporters and the ambitions of the owner and the administration."

Brazil legend Ronaldo retired from football

Brazilian legend Ronaldo has confirmed his retirement from football.

The 34-year-old had a glittering career, helping Brazil win two World Cups and being named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 2002.

He had been expected to quit at the end of the season but the early elimination of his club, Corinthians, from the Copa Libertadores brought forward the date.

"I wanted to continue, but I can't. I think of an action, but I can't do it the way I want to. It's time," he said.

Ronaldo's career took him to some of Europe's top clubs, including Spanish rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as Italian neighbours AC Milan and Inter Milan.

But it was on the world stage where he made the biggest impact, scoring a record total of 15 goals at three World Cups.

He also went to the 1994 tournament in the United States as a member of the Brazilian squad that went on to win the trophy, but the 17-year-old did not get on the pitch.

However, four years later he scored four goals to help Brazil reach the final against hosts France.

Mystery surrounded the match as Ronaldo's name was left off the teamsheet when it was issued 72 minutes before kick-off, only for an amended version to appear in time for the start of the game amid rumours of panic attacks and a dispute within the Brazilian camp.

Whatever happened prior to the game, Ronaldo was below par and his performance was ecplised by Zinedine Zidane, the only other footballer to have won the World Player of the Year title on three occasions.

The Frenchman scored twice as France won 3-0.

At the 2002 World Cup Ronaldo was at his imperious best, scoring in every game in Japan and South Korea, bar the 2-1 quarter-final victory over England.

He grabbed both of Brazil's goals in the 2-0 win over Germany in the final to take his tally for the tournament to eight.

In 2006 he scored twice in a 4-1 victory over Japan to draw level with Germany's Gerd Muller as the top scorer in World Cup finals history on 14, before breaking that record with a goal against Ghana.

He ended his international career having scored 62 goals in 97 appearances.

On domestic front, Ronaldo first moved to Europe in the 1994-95 season, joining Dutch side PSV Eindhoven from Cruzeiro, scoring 30 league goals in his first season and 12 in 13 games during an injury-hit second campaign.

Ronaldo's strike rate alerted former England manager Sir Bobby Robson, who signed the Brazilian when he took over as Barcelona coach in 1996 and the striker continued his impressive record at the Nou Camp, scoring 47 times in 49 appearances.

In 1996, at the age of 20, he became the youngest player to win FIFA's World Player of the Year title and picked up the award again 12 months later.

By that time he had moved clubs once more, this time joining Inter for a then world-record fee of £19m. He hit 59 goals in 99 appearances during an injury-troubled four years with the Italian side.

He damaged his knee in 1999 and then again during his comeback in February 2000, which kept him out of the game for another two years.

His next move took him back to Spain, where he joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2002 for £20m. Injury stopped him making his debut until October, but he scored twice on his first appearance to endear himself to the fans and netted 21 more times that season to help win the La Liga title.

He also scored a hat-trick against Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

He also helped the Spanish side win another league title in 2006/07 but further injuries and a lack of fitness lead him being deemed surplus to requirements and he returned to Italy in 2007, joining AC Milan.

Another knee injury cut short his playing career at the San Siro in May 2008 and he returned to Brazil in 2009 to sign for Corinthians.

Real deny Fàbregas talk

Real Madrid have insisted they have not lodged a bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fàbregas.

Fàbregas, who was the subject of bids from former club Barcelona in the summer, is now being strongly linked with a summer move to Real.

Reports in England and Spain have reported that Real were ready to make a €65million move for the Arsenal star.

But Madrid general manager Jorge Valdano has confirmed that they have made no bid or approach for the 23-year-old.

"We never made an offer for him (Fàbregas) and we haven't spoken with Arsenal either," Valdano said.

"We have a good relationship with Arsenal and we don't want any misunderstanding."

FA issues Twitter warning

The Football Association have warned players that any improper comments on Twitter and other social networking sites may lead to disciplinary action.

Ryan Babel, who has now left Liverpool for Hoffenheim, became the first player to be sanctioned for a Tweet when he was fined £10,000 for comments made about referee Howard Webb and a mocked-up photo of the official in a Manchester United shirt.

Young Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere avoided any action last week despite complaining of 'inconsistent refereeing' from Phil Dowd following the Gunners' 4-4 draw with Newcastle at St. James' Park.

Now the game's governing body have issued a statement making it clear that any comments from players on social networking sites will be regarded as 'public comment'.

"The FA has issued clarification to participants relating to the use of social networking sites, including, but not limited to Twitter, Facebook and internet blogs," the statement read.

"Participants should be aware that comments made on such sites may be considered public comment, and that further to FA Rule E3, any comments which are deemed improper, bring the game into disrepute, or are threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting may lead to disciplinary action.

"Comments which are personal in nature or could be construed as offensive, use foul language or contain direct or indirect threats aimed at other participants are likely to be considered improper."

Players have also been warned that even though they believe their postings are only visible to a limited number of selected people they may still end up in the public domain.

"Consequently, care should be exercised with regards to the contents of such postings," continued the statement.

"In addition, we would remind participants that social networking portings could also lead to civil proceedings being brought by affected parties."