ANDRE Villas Boas admits he is best of friends with Bolton boss Owen Coyle – but not enough to let him have Daniel Sturridge back.
The Chelsea manager took his UEFA Pro License course with Coyle a few years back, and the pair, whose teams go head to head tomorrow, have remained good pals.
But even their friendship was not enough to let striker Sturridge, who had a successful loan spell at Bolton last season, return to the Reebok.
Villas Boas said: “I know Owen very well and we spoke a lot early on in my career. I would say he is a good friend, and we have kept in touch since doing our Pro License together.
“We have exchanged ideas on players in the past, and he has put me under a lot of pressure about taking Daniel Sturridge on loan again, but I said absolutely not.
“He has left 20 to 3-0 messages with me about Daniel since I arrived here, and I expect more in January too, but he has no chance.
“However, Owen is a demanding, driven and focused manager, and he is doing a fantastic job. Bad phases can happen to anybody, but Owen will pull them out of it.”