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29th Nov 2017

Andre Villas-Boas quits latest managerial job to drive in Dakar Rally

A surprising move...

Simon Lloyd

Andre Villas-Boas has quit his job as manager of Chinese Super League side, Shanghai SIPG.

And don’t expect the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss to be making any swift return to football management, either. He’s already outlined his plans for the months ahead.

Instead of eyeing his next managerial job, the Portuguese has confirmed plans to take part in the 2018 Dakar Rally, instead.

After initially hoping to tackle the gruelling 15-day race on a motorbike, the 40-year-old has been persuaded to to enter behind the wheel of a Toyota Hilux. His countryman Ruben Faria will be his co-driver for the race, which begins in Peru on January 6 and ends on January 20 in Argentina.

“I spoke with my friend Alex Doringer, the manager of the KTM team, who told me that I would still need a full year’s preparation to get there and that it was better to consider doing it with a car,” Villas-Boas is quoted as saying by The Guardian.

“So I got in touch with Team Overdrive and here I am!”

AVB will follow in the footsteps (tyre tracks) of his uncle, who also took part in the rally nearly 36 years ago.

Villas-Boas, who also managed Porto and Zenit St Petersburg either side of his time in England, is reported to have been a possible replacement for Ronald Koeman at Everton.