One of the world's most exciting young coaches, Villas-Boas firmly arrived on the scene in his first season at FC Porto when he won a treble of league, cup and Europa League, and took the team to an unbeaten league 2010-11 campaign. A move to Chelsea ensued for the man known affectionately, and for ease of headline-writing, as AVB - but things did not go to plan and he was sacked by the Blues in March 2012. However, he was soon back in Premier League management, replacing Harry Redknapp at Tottenham in July 2012.

Villas-Boas' career as a player never got off the ground. Indeed, he had plans to become a football reporter but a break at FC Porto came courtesy of neighbour Sir Bobby Robson, who invited the 16-year-old to training while in charge in the mid-90s before later offering him a job in the club's youth set-up. The coach has insisted that Robson was key to his development, maintaining that: "He was decisive in the love I feel for this profession and for the doors he opened for me at that age. I owe him."

Villas-Boas' English language skills - his grandmother is from Cheadle, near Manchester - saw him impress in Portugal and he gained his UEFA C coaching license at the age of 17, before moving to become the head coach of the British Virgin Islands national team at only 21. Moving back to Porto to take charge of the Under-19 side, he picked up his B and A licenses and would later be promoted to study under another young manager named Jose Mourinho as his assistant.

Learning from a master, he was a key component of the club's success in claiming the 2004 UEFA Champions League and was labelled Mourinho's "eyes and ears" by the man himself. Therefore, it was no surprise when Villas-Boas followed Mourinho to Chelsea and then Inter Milan. At Chelsea, his role was to compile Opponent Observation Department (OOD) reports - basically a secret service-style dossier on Chelsea's rivals, and usually delivered as a DVD presentation. However, a year after Mourinho had taken on a new chapter of his career at Inter in 2009-10, Villas-Boas took the decision to cut the cord and try and make it on his own.

He soon found a job in the Portuguese Primeira Liga with Academica de Coimbra, filling a vacancy created by Rogerio Goncalves. Taking over a club in crisis, he was so effective that the side finished 11th that season and also reached the Portuguese League Cup semi-finals. The team's attacking style gained praise and he was linked with a move to Sporting Lisbon, before he moved back to Porto again to take on the manager's role after the departure of Jesualdo Ferreira.

His first title arrived when Porto beat Benfica 2-0 in the Portuguese Supercup and more were to follow as one of the most impressive debut seasons in recent memory (probably since Mourinho took the Porto reins, in fact) also saw him take the Portuguese Primeira Liga (unbeaten), UEFA Europa League and Portuguese Cup titles. However, his head turned by interest from Chelsea, Villas-Boas resigned in the summer and after the Blues met his record €15 million buyout clause, he followed in the footsteps of Mourinho by swapping Estadio do Dragao for Stamford Bridge.

He was not to tread the same trophy-laden path at Chelsea as his compatriot, though. Tasked with bringing a youthful flavour to the club by owner Roman Abramovich, he attempted to overhaul the remnants of the Mourinho era but faced stiff opposition from the older players in his squad who were unwilling to step aside. Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba were among those who he attempted to phase out in favour of fresh faces, but pressure from supporters and the dressing-room led him to reverse those decisions and eventually he appeared to lose control, resulting in his sacking in March 2012. Further salt was rubbed into the wounds when the same squad that had struggled under him went on to win the FA Cup and Champions League under Roberto Di Matteo.

Villas-Boas was not out of work for long, though, with Chelsea's London rivals Tottenham calling on him to lead a new era at the club ahead of the 2012-13 season.

Strengths: A strategic thinker who has learned from the very best in his short career, his motivation and attention to detail are unparalleled. He is also an excellent and inclusive man-manager.

Weaknesses: His age was viewed as the main cause of his struggles at Stamford Bridge, as he was unable to command the respect of and control the big personalities of the club's veterans.

Career high: Clinching the treble with FC Porto in 2010-11, which included the Europa League trophy.

Career low: Being axed by Chelsea after failing to stamp his authority on the club.

Tactics: Almost obsessed with tactics, he holds special 30-minute tactical teach-ins the day after every match - plus sessions after each training stint. He likes a lone centre-forward, with an attacking 4-3-3 in the shape of the formation Mourinho employed in his early days at Chelsea. Against stronger opponents, the wide players tuck in and create a solid 4-1-4-1 system, but counter attacking is still a key part of the philosophy. There is also great emphasis placed on a team ethic and he has been quoted as saying: "If a midfielder does not fight for me, he does not have a place in the team."

Quotes: "People focus a lot on the work of the manager and I don't see it that way. I don't see myself as a one-man show. Football isn't won by one person but by collective competence. It is the quality of the players and the structure of the club.'' Andre Villas-Boas, May 2011.

Trivia: After winning the Europa League, he became the youngest manager ever to win a European competition, at 33 years and 213 days of age.