Connecting with the aura of the messiahs

Not long ago, the cult of the manager was under threat. Sure, the gaffer was never more important or regarded. But the ‘project manager’ era was upon us. The best bosses were spinning on the European merry-go-round, cutting and pasting their philosophies and methods onto each of the game’s superclubs in turn.

You could do things the clean way, with an executive Ancelotti package, a no-fuss, blue-chip bet on competitive respectability and impeccable boardroom relations. Or if you wanted more headlines and enemies, there was the Mourinho option, with higher insurance premiums and the need to collect trophies quickly before the whole club blazed in a fire.