Villas-Boas defiant over Lloris decision

Villas-Boas

Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas on Wednesday said that he had no regrets about allowing goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to continue playing after he was briefly knocked unconscious during a game.

The France international, 26, momentarily lost consciousness following a collision with Everton striker Romelu Lukaku towards the end of Sunday’s 0-0 Premier League draw at Goodison Park, but he insisted on playing on.

Spurs’ decision not to substitute him was criticised by Britain’s Professional Footballers’ Association and the chief medical officer of world governing body FIFA, both of whom voiced fears about the risk of concussion.

However, Villas-Boas said he felt that Lloris’s safety was not at risk and expressed anger that his medical staff, who had helped to save the life of former Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba after he collapsed at White Hart Lane two years ago, had been called into question.

“I stand absolutely by the decision I took and I stand by the decision that the medical department took following the checks that they made on the player,” Villas-Boas said during an occasionally ill-tempered press conference.