JOSE AND OLE SHOW IS TRUE FOOTBALL LESSON

JOSE Mourinho has won 64.8 per cent of 909 games as a manager. He has won two Champions League titles and eight major league titles together with a whole host of cups. He can clearly manage a football team.

But he lost his way at Manchester United. The fans didn’t appreciate his style. The players didn’t appreciate his style. He was unceremoniously sacked.

His replacement, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has turned Mourinho’s former charges into winners. The fans believe, the players believe and Manchester United are on a quick and powerful march.

The vibes are that Ole has instilled an attacking/offensive philosophy. That he has created a fun and competitive training ground. That he has instilled belief into the young players.

I guess you could just say he has recreated the modern way that Sir Alex had successfully evolved towards.

He is certainly positive about the club’s players, he understands the club’s history, he thinks like the fans think and he has the benefit of being deeply central to many fine moments and, in particular, to 1999. This all creates a natural bond between him and the club. He gets the culture.

So, too, by the way, does the outstanding Mike Phelan, his assistant.

At Cardiff, Ole won just nine of his 30 games (30 per cent).

It all goes to show that football management is about ‘horses for courses’.

Mourinho has won the Champions League as an underdog but not as a favourite. Solskjaer struggled as an underdog but is thriving as a favourite.

Clubs and managers at all levels can learn so much from this incredible turn around.