“If we don’t reach the Champions League in the next three years, then I’ll be very sad,” says an ambitious Robert Vilahamn at Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground.
The 41-year-old has recently cemented his future at the club for the next three years after a historic first season. Staying in north London was a no-brainer for Vilahamn who, after getting “more and more good results”, quickly came to realise that Tottenham’s squad was one he “wanted to keep building”.
Vilahamn has taken Spurs to places they could’ve only ever dreamed of after narrowly avoiding relegation only two seasons ago. Not only did he help them secure a sixth-spot finish in the Barclays Women’s Super League, he also led them to the FA Cup final for the first time in their history.
Off the pitch, his passion for the game is infectious and has created such a buzz about the future of the club for so many. The Swede’s desire to grow women’s football, alongside his “one club” mentality with men’s team coach Ange Postecoglou, has helped him become one of the most exciting and influential women’s football managers in the league right now.
“Knowing I’m here for the next three years means I can actually plan,” Vilahamn exclusively tells 90min. “You sometimes need that with recruitment of players and staff members. I didn’t know what to expect last season. I came into a league that I didn’t know anything about and I needed to learn a lot.
“As we go into this season, I now know the players and how we play. We are more into the details because we are building on the groundwork we laid out last year. We can now push to the next level, but it’s going to be tough. We’ve got to work really hard.”
Vilahamn relished his first opportunity to take the lead in recruitment when the summer transfer window opened, seeing him have the power to select players that he felt could take the club to the next level.
He reveals to 90min that bringing in a handful of both younger and more experienced players was an essential part of his long-term goal of qualifying for the Champions League.
“I think we looked at the transfer window in different ways,” Vilahamn explains. “One was that we wanted to have a young, talented group and find players who didn’t have one or two years left on their playing career, but on the other hand we needed to have players that can help us develop even more because we want to be a Champions League team.”
Spurs recruited players from some of Europe’s top clubs, including PSG’s Clare Hunt, Real Madrid’s Hayley Raso and Maite Oroz, as well as Juventus’ Amanda Nilden. Alongside them were breakthrough stars Anna Csiki, Katelin Talbert and Ella Morris.
“We showed last season that we can compete with the top teams and I think we have a good chance of competing with them this season,” says Vilahamn. “Whether we can reach the Champions League this season or not depends on how much we can develop collectively, but we are heading in that direction. I have a three-year contract and I’ll be very, very sad if I don’t reach the Champions League during that time.”
Although the transfer window brought a chance to bolster the team, Spurs were forced to say goodbye to midfielder Grace Clinton, who made a huge impression during her time on loan from Manchester United. To add insult to injury, the 21-year-old also took forward Celin Bizet with her.
Vilahamn made clear that he anticipated the departures and “tried to stay one step ahead” while learning from the process.
“We try to prepare if we know somebody wants or needs to leave,” he says. “We knew Manchester United wanted to have Grace back, so we began looking for people who could fill that role. We used her as a case study of how we can improve and develop players and that’s fine.
“When Celin wanted to leave, there was nothing we could do about it but try and find a way to get a new player into that position. Losing players is part of the business, and accepting that and finding new people who want to be here and perform is what takes us to the next level.”
Before entering the world of football, Vilahamn spent the early part of his career in education as a PE and English teacher. When it comes to describing his leadership style that has been praised by so many of his players, Vilahamn says his time spent in schools was hugely influential.
“I want to make sure I treat people well,” he says. “I want to make sure I help them to feel freedom and play the best football, but still connect as a team. I don’t want to micromanage. I want to make sure they feel trust, but sometimes it’s hard as you need to push them, so it’s a lot about the environment you create.
“We want to play bravely, so it’s important to connect with that and if you do, I’m going to give you so much energy, but if you don’t then that’s going to be a problem. I’m very much focusing on how you bring energy to the table and what you can bring to the team.
“I’m going to help build an environment to make sure they can reach the highest level, but it’s about teamwork. I’m absolutely a manager, but I want them to make sure I can help drive them.”
Vilahamn bid farewell to his position as manager of the women’s team at Sweden’s BK Hacken to join Tottenham, but prior to that he was assistant coach of the men’s team. He explains that “getting to know the history of women’s football” was a priority when first making the switch.
“You have to surround yourself with both men and women in staff which is very important,” he says. “But it’s also important to understand the people you work with and what they want. It suits my way of leading because I’m a teacher, so I kind of like to teach them why we do stuff and what’s the purpose of everything. My experience with women’s players is that they want that and they actually demand that.”
Vilahamn has not only been able to foster an environment on and off the pitch that has instilled confidence and belief, but he’s also remained vocal about what’s needed to further develop the women’s game.
The WSL and Women’s Championship have recently entered a new era of professional football, with leadership being taken away from the FA and given to a new independent body, known as the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL).
Vilahamn mentions that, in order to develop, it’s essential they “don’t just follow the men’s football industry”.
“I feel like there is hope with this new group that they can find ways to make sure women’s football grows into something really big,” he explains. “I feel like we need to make sure women get what they need and that includes playing at stadiums and better salaries, so that in turn the fanbase can get what they need, too.”