Villas-Boas dreams of riding into sunset

(Getty Images)

Andre Villas-Boas's rapid rise through the ranks of his profession always suggested there must be much more to the Chelsea manager than meets the eye.

The surprise to many people will be that behind the besuited coach is a motorcyclist whose ambition is to compete in the Paris-Dakar rally.

Villas-Boas has repeatedly bristled when he has been accused of being the kind of coach who specialises in the forensic analysis of the game. True, he developed his early reputation through detailed scouting reports, but since then he has been keen to point out that the laptop plays only a supporting role in his methods.

Villas-Boas, he insists, is just like any other manager. Any other manager, that is, who will use the international break to indulge his hobby of off-road motorcycling in the Portuguese mountains.

"It feels fantastic," he said. "It's my escape, my passion. You feel the need for it. Driving is adrenaline-fuelled and feels good. We all have our passions and respond in different ways. I would love to do Paris-Dakar, yes."