The nature of change means that not all of us are going to be quite so receptive to the bold moves of Daniel Levy. Indeed, as a blaze of Portuguese suave in Andre Villas Boas extinguishes the old school charm of Harry Redknapp, some supporters have raised eyebrows at what many perceive as something of a gamble.

But if you rattle out the clichés; think dust settling and mist clearing, then you can see genuine hope and optimism oozing out of the white side of North London.

With a new manager comes new ideas. Tottenham Hotspur needed a fresh ideology and as the page turns on the swashbuckling era of Harry Redknapp, it feels as if everyone is finally on board with Villas Boas’ appointment.

It feels as if the scales have been out on Harry Redknapp’s reign as Spurs boss for weeks now. The appointment of Andre Villas Boas had caught the imagination of some supporters, but it has been the valuation of Redknapp’s legacy that has been debated just as fiercely.

Whether it’s been picking at his tactical acumen, lauding his style of football or peeling apart his flirtations with the England job, the last month has been as much about the past as it has about the future.

And Redknapp’s achievements, to some extent, demanded such a close examinations. It would be beyond the realms of patronizing to call out supporters who questioned the logic in replacing Redknapp with a man who failed to last a single season down the road at Chelsea.

But as managers remain the variable, it is the club that will always be the constant. Part of Tottenham Hotspur’s constant, is the immortal motto “Audere est Facere.” The appointment of Andre Villas Boas and the subsequent shot of adrenaline that it’s brought to the club has personified that line.

Break away the title chasing hyperbole that Spurs were burdened with at the turn of the year, but don’t forget where it originated from in the first place. The Lilywhite’s were playing superb football, taking points at home and away and were beginning to develop a resilience that has deserted the club in recent years. No one can begrudge the part Harry Redknapp has played in that.

But to put the shoe on the other foot, they should have without any doubt finished third. There is no shame in hitting the financial glass ceiling of the Premier League. But Spurs should be spending the summer budgeting for a team playing in the Champions League. The failure to have a Plan B, to shake things up tactically and to break stubborn teams away from home fell on Redknapp’s lap.

For some, that isn’t necessarily deemed a failure. Redknapp did superbly well during his time at the club and two fourth place finishes in three years is a level of relative success not tasted in years. Yet you can sense there is more to come from this squad. That glass ceiling hasn’t been reached yet.

“To Dare is to Do” isn’t encapsulated by settling for what you’ve got. A manager who can eek out those points that maybe Redknapp was unable to is what Spurs needed. Andre Villas Boas is a risk, but isn’t that what daring is all about?

It’s unfair to dub the legacy of Redknapp as something of a specter following the club. But perhaps the continuous ridiculing of supporters in the press by daring to dream has brought them closer together.

A new training ground, new players, new manager and even a new kit manufacturer has brought a whole different feeling to the club. Villas Boas has spoken intelligently and affluently and brings with him a persona that’s instilled cautious confidence and steely optimism. A long way away from Redknapp’s amusing, yet often self-proclaiming press outings.

The way AVB spoke of building towards something are the sort of words supporters long to hear. Supporters felt almost embarrassed when talk of the title was bumbled about earlier on in the year. Villas Boas didn’t seem to blush when he mentioned the “t” word. For him, that is the requirement, the standard that the football club should be reaching.

Ambition, mentality and building are the words used at White Hart Lane from now on. The days of fans being told how grateful they should be for the good football or how unlucky the team was are over. Both Andre Villas Boas and Harry Redknapp possess sizeable egos. It just seems as if Villas Boas’ is fuelled by a diet of silverware and success.

Maybe this is what has strengthened the feeling of anticipation at White Hart Lane this summer. Villas Boas represents a risk of sorts and that cannot be denied, as the achievements of Redknapp can’t either. But he has a determination and attitude that can galvanize the football club. He will have to get it right on the pitch, but off of it, he is already showing why he’s ben appointed.

Spurs might not currently have a title ready squad. But they have a title-craving manager. Who knows what the future holds on the pitch for AVB- but if he can harness the mood of the present, then maybe supporters will finally start speaking with the same sort of tone.

Have you brought into AVB-mania? Do you believe he can push the club into the unknown? Tell us what you think on Twitter, follow @samuel_antrobus 

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