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“The whole picture at this club is to develop in all areas, not just the football. That’s why I need to build relationships with everyone, from Daniel Levy all the way down to the kitman.”
A year in English football has not shaken Tottenham Women’s head coach Robert Vilahamn out of his philosophical approach to the role, and he certainly doesn’t lack for vision or ambition.
“In the long-term, we’re going to win things. You can just add money and win a title — it happens a lot in football — but we want to do it our way, with an organic journey. When we win, we will feel like we did it together with a good environment.
“In one way, winning trophies is how you leave a legacy. If I can help Tottenham Women grow and they win the league two years after I’ve left, I will feel proud.
“I want to win for them, not for me. I’m not desperate for my own ego to win a title. We want silverware, but the bigger picture is to make Tottenham a top team.
“Can Tottenham become the best team in the WSL? I’m sure of that. I know that. It is a matter of time before we are winning things. But I don’t sit here thinking ‘I need to win before I leave’ — because I don’t. It’s about the club.”
Vilahamn joined Spurs in July last year, leaving BK Hacken when they were seven points clear at the top of the Swedish first division. They squandered that lead after his exit, failing to win the title. “I do not regret it”, he tells Standard Sport.
The 41-year-old inherited a Tottenham team that had narrowly avoided relegation and guided them to a sixth-place finish last season. The campaign ended with a 4-0 defeat in the FA Cup Final to Manchester United at Wembley — Tottenham Women’s first appearance in a major final.
Vilahamn says he learned “so much” in his first season at Tottenham, and reflected on it over the summer, spending time with his wife and young children in Crete and his native Sweden, as well as carrying out charity work in Uganda.
Back to it now, though, with a mixed start to the new WSL season. They visit Chelsea at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, having beaten Crystal Palace, drawn with Aston Villa and lost to Liverpool and United. This time, though, a mid-table finish will not suffice.
I cannot come to work and relax - I have a hate and love relationship with pressure
“We are putting higher demands on players this season. This comes from Andy [Rogers], the managing director.
“The first step [last summer] was to reorganise after they were almost relegated. To come in with a new energy was quite easy, but now we’ve got to go from a quite good year to push to make it even better. I need to be sharp in details.
“This year we want to play better football and prove we have an identity. Pre-season looked good, we started pre-season early. I cannot come to work and relax; I have a hate and love relationship with pressure.”
A sizeable hole has been left in Vilahamn’s attacking armoury this term, after Grace Clinton returned to Manchester United.
“I didn’t know about Grace Clinton, but she came here on a loan and developed to become a Lionesses player,” Vilahamn recalls. “That gives Spurs credit in the bank; we can sell that to other players we want to sign.
“The only player [we sold] who we didn’t want to let go was Celin Bizet [who joined United], but if she wanted to leave then it’s not up to us.
“We work closely with the recruitment group, but we never sign a player if I say I don’t want that player.
“We needed to sign players who were ready for a key role now, not ready to grow into a key role. Hayley Raso is a winner. She is a Champions League player, and we want to be a Champions League club. She can show the best version of ourselves here at Tottenham.
“Clare Hunt is a rock at the back and was at PSG last season. Ella Morris is a different thing. Young, upcoming, and the England staff tell me she can be the next Lioness. Anna Csiki was the best player in the league when I had her at Hacken, before she got an ACL injury. Her technique is something I basically haven’t seen in women’s football before. I always look for X-factor.
“Maite [Oroz] is a class player in the Spanish national team. Her technique is magic. Every signing is Champions League material, and now it’s time to make these signings work.”
Vilahamn joined Spurs in the same summer Ange Postecoglou became manager of the men’s side. Both are visionaries, intent on changing the long-term culture at the club.
We needed to sign players who were ready for a key role now, not ready to grow into a key role
“He’s a very brave coach, in his identity and standing up for what he believes in,” Vilahamn says of his colleague. “You need to be a good leader to make sure big players buy into that. As a person, I feel he’s a good guy and is interested in you.”
Vilhamn recounts his journey from first playing football aged six to managing in the WSL, via a mediocre career as a somewhat gangly striker in the Swedish third division and a master’s degree in education, spent writing essays about how PE lessons should be more gender-equal.
Reflecting from the comfort of the Tottenham training ground, he smiles and says, “I’m living life. We play Sunday every weekend and I miss my kids’ games every Sunday, but there is not much I dislike about my job.”
Achieve a fraction of all he intends at Tottenham and there will be plenty of love coming back his way in return.
