FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT AND THE 48 LAWS OF POWER

@kwazithabethe

@kwazivarian

Power is a curious thing.  The promise of power is what has driven many ambitious men to excel and the mismanagement of power has caused the undoing of even more great men.  The banal and quotidian is so dull and tedious but power gives off an aura of rank and distinction. At the end of the day, power is a necessity for us to win in many of our endeavors and so we all crave power.  Robert Greene’s how-to book on attaining and maintaining power, The 48 Laws Of Power, is a Machiavellian tour-de-force. Scattered within its pages are tutorials on leadership, survival, psychology and maneuvering in the realm of power.

Being a football coach is a task that requires immense prowess in the use of power. A football coach [or “football manager”, depending on which of the 2 interchangeable terms one wishes to use] does more than just run the training drills and pick the starting line-up. Like a statesman, a military general, or a spiritual leader, he is entrusted with the happiness of a much larger constituency and he has the power to shape the realities of the troops leads. With that in mind, football management is an appropriate backdrop to dissect the teachings of The 48 Laws Of Power and to discuss each law with historical examples from the careers of some of football’s most successful coaches

LAW 1: NEVER OUTSHINE THE MASTER

“…Always make those above you feel comfortably superior.  In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity.  Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power…”

This law is about making those above you feel comfortably superior. The everlasting words from this law are “Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will reach the heights of power”. In his first stint at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho failed to heed this advice and paid the price.

Chelsea are without a doubt one of Planet Football’s great super clubs today and a big part of the reason for their ascendance to the top-table of world football was Jose Mourinho. His arrival in 2004 brought a different level of attention and glamour the club; He was young, confident, charismatic, well-educated and a recently crowned European champion. Within weeks of arriving in England, the press was so enamoured with him that he became more than just a sports figure, but a pop-culture icon and the face of the “new” Chelsea. Under his guidance, Chelsea established themselves as a dominant force of European football and won every available English trophy in his first three years. This “new” Chelsea was of course by bankrolled by the Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich. The oil tycoon had bought the club one year before Mourinho was hired and his dream was to make Chelsea the greatest team in the world. Despite all the domestic success Chelsea achieved under Mourinho, Mr Abramovich was reportedly frustrated by Chelsea’s failure to win the UEFA Champions League and the team’s colourless style of football. When the media quizzed Mourinho about the rumoured tension between the two men, he was insolent and defiant. He publicly stated that Chelsea would be bottom of the league if Abramovich was the coach and went on to dare the club to fire him at the end of the then 2006/2007 season. He further went on to brag about how he would easily find a new job within 2 weeks of leaving Chelsea, were he to be fired. The season ended and Abramovich didn’t fire him. And then suddenly, 4 games into the new 2007/2008 season, Abramovich fired Mourinho. The Portugese had to wait 10 months, not 2 weeks, before securing a new job because all the big clubs had secured their coaches for the new season.

It was, at times, humorous and entertaining to watch Mourinho’s public feuds with rival coaches and other football officials but many eyebrows were raised when he repeatedly provoked a public power struggle with one of the most powerful men in the world. To onlookers, it seemed so obvious that he was fighting a battle he couldn’t win but success had swelled his head so much that he couldn’t stop agitating. His desire to assert his clout proved to be his undoing. Never outshine the master!

LAW 2: NEVER PUT TOO MUCH TRUST IN FRIENDS, LEARN HOW TO USE ENEMIES

"...Be wary of friends-they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them..."

In 2004, Juventus were run by Luciano Moggi and the rest of the Moggi family. When they hired Fabio Capello as the club's new coach it came as a surprise to many because of the family's history with the Italian tactician. Before Capello took the job at Juventus, he publicly criticized the Moggi family in 2002 and it developed into an ugly public feud. Despite his past differences with Luciano Moggi, Capello signed for Juventus and won back-to-back titles at the club. The Moggi's decision to hire a former enemy was thus vindicated.

LAW 3: CONCEAL YOUR INTENTIONS

"...Keep people off-balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. If they have no clue what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense. Guide them far enough down the wrong path, envelope them in enough smoke, and by the time they realize your intentions, it will be too late..."

We often see the practice of this law in the transfer market, where managers are reluctant to confirm or deny their interest a player that's primed for a move to a new club. When asked if they intend to purchase [player X], some managers are evasive and give responses like "Any coach would be lucky to have him but he's a player that belongs to [club Y] and I don't like to talk about players that belong to other teams". One benefit of this tactic is that it shows respect to the selling club that are negotiating the sale with and it doesn't give the fans any unwarranted expectations. And if the move fails and the transfer doesn't happen at all, the evasive manager can deny ever having any interest in the first place.

Alex Ferguson used this law when Manchester United were persistently linked with a move to sign Wesley Sneijder. Arsenè Wenger also never publicly confirmed his interest in signing Gonzalo Higuain in 2013 although he was working behind the scenes to try and strike a deal. Higuain eventually joined Napoli and Wenger was free to say he wasn't ever interested in signing Higuain.

In 2006, Wenger concealed his hopes of signing William Gallas from Chelsea so well that nobody was sure if the deal was actually going to happen up until it was confirmed in the late hours of transfer deadline day. Up until then, few onlookers were certain of his real intentions. Sometimes being honest and open makes one look predictable and what is predictable doesn't draw power. 

"Have you ever heard of a skillful general, who intends to surprise a citadel, announcing his plan to the enemy? Conceal your purpose and hide your progress; do not disclose the extent of your designs until they cannot be opposed" -Ninon de Lenclos

LAW 4: ALWAYS SAY LESS THAN NECESSARY

“…When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish..."

A Bernd Schuster--coached Real Madrid team once lost a controversial match against Sevilla in 2007. During the post-match press conference, a journalist asked Schuster if he felt the referee had shown prejudice against his team. "Well where is he from?" he asked knowingly and when the answer came back: "He's Catalan", Schuster replied: "Well there you have it. There is nothing more that needs to be said".

The panache in Schuster's approach to answering the questions had the entire press room chuckling, cheering and applauding all at once. Even though he had said so little, his feelings on the matter had been explained so well. It was perhaps the most sophisticated post-match whine of all time.

LAW 5: SO MUCH DEPENDS ON REPUTATION- GUARD IT WITH YOUR LIFE

"...Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once you slip, however, you are vulnerable, and will be attacked on all sides. Make your reputation unassailable. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them..."

In January 2016, Real Madrid were managed by Rafael Benitez and looked set to be heading for a season of failure, disappointment and mediocrity. They were 9 points behind league leaders Barcelona, already eliminated from the King's Cup and the only tournament they had to play for was the Champions League. Although there was seemingly not much to be gained from it at this point, the Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, called time on Rafael Benitez's tenure as head coach and replaced him with a man who had no experience but nonetheless arrived with a gargantuan reputation in the world of football - Zinedine Zidane!

It's hard to adequately describe the aura of class and leadership Zinedine Zidane exudes. When he enters a room, all eyes divert towards him. When he speaks, men listen. And the Real Madrid players were no exception to the Zidane effect. With the same exact squad Benitez had, Zidane's Real Madrid went on a run of form that closed the 9 point league gap to just one point. They managed to push Barcelona to the last league game of the season in a title race that had previously seemed dead and buried. They also had the last laugh when they won the Champions League a few days later.

An initially interim coach with no experience had somehow awoken a faltering squad from its slumber and motivated them to conquer Europe. And he did that by largely relying on his one unmatched asset; reputation!

"As they say, your reputation inevitably precedes you, and if it inspires respect, a lot of your work is done for you before you arrive on the scene or, utter a single word" -Robert Greene

LAW 6: COURT ATTENTION AT ALL COST

"...Everything is judged by its appearance; what is unseen counts for nothing. Never let yourself get lost in the crowd, then, or buried in oblivion. Stand out. Be conspicuous, at all cost. Make yourself a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, more mysterious, than the bland and timid masses..."

This law is important because society, and by extension the football watching audience, craves larger-than-life figures who standout from the crowd. One such figure is Josè Mourinho, due to his abilities as a showman in press conferences and post-game  interviews. From the moment he first arrived in England and declared himself as "The Special One", he's had the watching audience eating out of the palm of his hands. He often uses soundbites to deflect attention and pressure off his players and to make himself the central figure of the narrative. It's an effective way of attaining power and that's why Mourinho has been grabbing everyone's attention for over a decade now with his priceless public statements.

LAW 7: GET OTHERS TO DO THE WORK FOR YOU, BUT ALWAYS TAKE THE CREDIT

"Use the wisdom, knowledge, and legwork of other people to further your own cause. Not only will such assistance save you valuable time and energy, it will give you a godlike aura of efficiency and speed. In the end your helpers will be forgotten and you will be remembered. Never do yourself what others can do for you"

It would seem as if coaching a football team is the epitome of this law because it is the players on the field who bleed, sweat and grind out the result but it the victory is then credited to the trainer's tactical acumen. But the application of this law goes even further than that because a coach works with an entire technical team consisting of hardworking professionals that hardly get a mention in press clippings or news headlines. Behind every successful head coach there is an assistant coach, a goalkeeping coach, a fitness coach, a chief scout, and a physiotherapist  who all play their part on the journey to success - but when the victory is secure, the fans will not sing their names and the journalists will not shower them with any praise. The victory belongs to the head coach, first and foremost.

Between 2002 and 2008, Alex Ferguson's assistant coach was Carlos Queiroz. Old Trafford insiders have said that it was Queiroz who conducted all the training sessions and also introduced a new attacking style to Manchester United's game-play.  When match-day arrived it was, of course, Alex Ferguson who wore the black suit, picked the starting XI and basked in all the plaudits. Ferguson was wise enough to capitalise on Queiroz's innovative football philosophy and use it to modernise Manchester United into a dominant European force before Queiroz finally left in 2008 to become the head coach of the Portuguese national team.

LAW 8: MAKE OTHER PEOPLE COME TO YOU- USE BAIT IF NECESSARY

"...When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains – then attack. You hold the cards..."

The first managerial situation that comes to mind with this law is when Pep Guardiola took a year-long sabbatical from football after a wildly successful 4-year stint at Barcelona. He made it known that he wanted to coach somewhere else after his break was over but he didn't approach any particular club to offer his services. Instead he left Europe altogether and moved his family to New York and made the top clubs come to him with offers. The top clubs and national teams were falling all over themselves trying to sign him, making his status as the most coveted coach in the world soar even higher. Eventually he chose to join Bayern Munich, but that was only after he made them come to him and seduce him with their offer.

LAW 9: WIN THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, NEVER THROUGH ARGUMENT

"...Any momentary triumph you think you have gained through argument is really a Pyrrhic victory: The resentment and ill will you stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion. It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate..."

The rivalry between Josè Mourinho and Pep Guardiola comes to mind with this law, seeing as that Mourinho has, for years, had the tendency to publically taunt his Catalan counterpart with subtle and not so subtle digs at his track record as a manager. Since 2009, they have met in matches featuring 7 different clubs and 7 different trophies. The problem for Mourinho is that his teams tend to come up short when they face a Guardiola team on the field of play. Altogether, at present the two coaches have squared off 18 times, Guardiola has won 8 of those matches, 6 have ended in draws and Mourinho has won just 3.

The media is drawn to Mourinho because he has such a combative personality and he usually provides some memorable soundbites before and after his encounters with Guardiola but to the purists in the beautiful game, Guardiola is the greater of the two men because he gets the job done on the field of play. He wins through actions, not arguments. And in the process, he reduces Mourinho to the perception of a bitter also-ran that is seemingly bothered by an apparent inferiority complex.

LAW 10: INFECTION: AVOID THE UNHAPPY AND THE UNLUCKY

"...You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead..."

When Brendan Rodgers signed Mario Balotelli to Liverpool in 2014, he was just asking for disappointment. Luis Suarez had recently left for Barcelona, a replacement striker was needed and so Rodgers pinned his hopes on Super Mario. Though, Balotelli is a big talent, signing a player with a long history of disciplinary problems at various clubs is rarely ever a wise move. The move predictably failed, with Super Mario Balotelli scoring 1 league goal all season before being shipped back to Italy. Rodgers was fired a short while after that.

LAW 11: LEARN TO KEEP PEOPLE DEPENDENT ON YOU

"...To maintain your independence you must always be needed and wanted. The more you are relied on, the more freedom you have. Make people depend on you for their happiness and prosperity and you have nothing to fear. Never teach them enough so that they can do without you..."

Manchester United have one of the best youth academies in world football and smaller clubs often rely on Manchester United to loan them their fledgling youngsters who may not be ready to break into the first team squad. In 2010, Preston North End were coached by Darren Ferguson, son of the legendary Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson. Ferguson the younger had used his father's influence to loan 3 promising youngsters, Ritchie De Laet, Matthew James and Joshua King, from Manchester United. A few months into the season though, results were not going according to plan and Preston North End were sitting at the bottom of their division. It was clear that a change was needed and Preston North End duly fired their coach, Darren Ferguson.

And then the power move was played. In just a matter of hours after the dismissal was announced, Alex Ferguson, the Godfather of English football sent a fax to Preston North End demanding his loanee players back.  He reminded them that they were dependant on him and that there were consequences to firing his son.

"Thus a wise prince will think of ways to keep his citizens of every sort and under every circumstance dependant on the state and on him; and then they will always be trustworthy" - Niccolò Machiavelli

LAW 12: USE SELECTIVE HONESTY AND GENEROSITY TO DISARM YOUR VICTIM

"...One sincere and honest move will cover over dozens of dishonest ones. Open-hearted gestures of honesty and generosity bring down the guard of even the most suspicious people. Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. A timely gift – a Trojan horse – will serve the same purpose..."

Pep Guardiola used selective generosity to disarm Real Madrid in 2014 when he sold them Toni Kroos without much fuss or much of a fight. Although Kroos wasn't a regular starter in Guardiola's Bayern Munich team, the reported €24 million fee still seemed like a huge discount for a player of that quality, who'd also just played a starring role in a FIFA World Cup conquest. So Madrid got their man and were grateful that negotiations concluded so smoothly.

A few weeks later, Real Madrid were stupefied when Guardiola's Bayern Munich made an approach to sign Xabi Alonso. Although Alonso was an aging player, Real Madrid still relied on him and were reluctant to lose him. Honour however now compelled them to return Bayern's "good faith" and bring the offer to Xabi Alonso's attention. Alonso listened to Guardiola's offer, liked what he heard and then asked Real Madrid to sell him. The two clubs sat down and ironed out a deal for an €8 million transfer fee. It happened that quickly and easily; Guardiola sold a player he had no use for, at a discount, and in return, he acquired a player he coveted, on the cheap. And it all began with that initial act of selective generosity.

LAW 13: WHEN ASKING FOR HELP, APPEAL TO PEOPLE’S SELF-INTEREST, NEVER TO THEIR MERCY OR GRATITUDE

"...If you need to turn to an ally for help, do not bother to remind him of your past assistance and good deeds. He will find a way to ignore you. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself..."

Failure to observe this law is probably the reason Arsenè Wenger lost players like Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas. These players, who were unknowns when Wenger brought them to Arsenal, had bloomed into global superstars but were also disillusioned with the club's failure to challenge for major honours and attract top players. Both Fabregas and van Persie were integral parts of Wenger's plans for the future but they were reluctant to commit their futures to the club and instead of meeting their levels of ambition by signing top players, Wenger chose to plead with them to stay loyal to the club that provided them with a platform to showcase their talent. Wenger banked on their gratitude but ambition always outweighs gratitude.

LAW 14: POSE AS A FRIEND, WORK AS A SPY

"…Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself. In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying..."

At times it seems like Josè Mourinho's entire career is the sporting embodiment of The 48 Laws Of Power. From 1996 to 2000, in the apprenticeship phase of his coaching career, Mourinho worked at FC Barcelona as an assistant to Bobby Robson and then Louis Van Gaal. It was at Barcelona where Mourinho learned all he needed to know about the workings and customs of a super club and what it meant to be an elite coach.

Fast forward to the 21st century and Mourinho is an elite coach but as he has repeatedly demonstrated in the last decade or so, there is no love lost between him and his former employers. During his coaching stints at Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid, Mourinho was a constant thorn in Barcelona's backside by costing them major silverware and publicly feuding with numerous Barcelona icons like Johan Cruyff, Xavi, Guardiola, and Lionel Messi. All this, coupled with Mourinho's Machiavellian antics towards anything related to FC Barcelona makes it clear that he was never seduced by the club's philosophy while he was an employee. He just acquired the information he needed to acquire and was off.

LAW 15: CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY

"...All great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be crushed completely. (Sometimes they have learned this the hard way.) If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smolders, a fire will eventually break out. More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation: The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit..."

When he first arrived to coach in England Alex Ferguson famously said that he wanted to "knock Liverpool off their perch". He wasn't just hoping to win a couple of league titles and coexist with Liverpool as the 2 dominant forces in the league, he wanted to vanquish the memory of their dominance into antiquity. The goal wasn't to imitate Liverpool, it was to surpass and outshine them.

And Ferguson did just that. He won his first league title in 1993 and just kept his foot on the accelerator even after Manchester United were established as British football's top dogs. Liverpool meanwhile haven't won a league title in almost 30 years. In that same time period, Ferguson won 13 league titles in a 20 year run.

LAW 16: USE ABSENCE TO INCREASE RESPECT AND HONOUR

“…Too much circulation makes the price go down: The more you are seen and heard from, the more common you appear. If you are already established in a group, temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired. You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity…”

When times get tough, we often see clubs and national teams turn to and reappoint former coaches to steady the ship. A former coach is usually re-hired because, during times of uncertainty, it helps to have someone who understands the culture of the team and is also familiar with the values of the institution. Also factoring into the decision though is the fact that these coaches have used their absence from the team to achieve success elsewhere, and thus further heighten their reputation. Excessive success elsewhere leaves your former employers full of regret for ever letting you go and yearning to have you back.

For years now, AC Milan fans have been pining for Carlo Ancelotti to come back and return them to their former glory. He conquered Europe twice with the 'Rossoneri' and since leaving them in 2009, he's won league titles with Chelsea and PSG, whilst also delivering the coveted 'La Decima' to Real Madrid. Milan meanwhile struggle to qualify for the Europa League these days. The decline in the club's fortunes after Ancelotti left, and his own personal success, has only increased his level of respect and honour in Milan.

Louis Van Gaal also effectively used absence to increase respect and honour during his two spells as the coach of Barcelona. In his first stint, he won 2 league titles in 3 years and was once a runner-up. He then left the club because he didn't feel accepted or respected by the local media and he was also clashing with the club's superstar players like Rivaldo and Giovanni. Barcelona finished 4th for the following 2 seasons before swallowing their pride and hiring Van Gaal again. And when he returned, Van Gaal insisted that the club sell Rivaldo. The hardships suffered by the club in his absence had bought him a new level of influence

LAW 17: KEEP OTHERS SUSPENDED IN TERROR: CULTIVATE AN AIR OF UNPREDICTABILITY

"...Humans are creatures of habit with an insatiable need to see familiarity in other people’s actions. Your predictability gives them a sense of control. Turn the tables: Be deliberately unpredictable. Behavior that seems to have no consistency or purpose will keep them off-balance, and they will wear themselves out trying to explain your moves. Taken to an extreme, this strategy can intimidate and terrorize..."

This is a law that's difficult to execute in the context of football management because most top coaches like to have a fixed strongest XI and a consistent playing style that is often reflective of their personality. Behind the scenes though, coaches are able to apply this law on the training ground. In an interview, John Terry once spoke of how Josè Mourinho would give the cold shoulder to any player that picked up injury and couldn't play. He would ignore you until you were fit and ready to serve him again

LAW 18: DO NOT BUILD FORTRESSES TO PROTECT YOURSELF- ISOLATION IS DANGEROUS

"...The world is dangerous and enemies are everywhere – everyone has to protect themselves. A fortress seems the safest. But isolation exposes you to more dangers than it protects you from – it cuts you off from valuable information, it makes you conspicuous and an easy target. Better to

circulate among people find allies, mingle. You are shielded from your enemies by the crowd..."

This law can be applied to those coaches who manage teams that are the sole juggernaut in their domestic league. Whilst being the perpetual number one at and towering above all the others at home can be a huge source of power, it can also create problems in continental competitions, where you have to play teams that are more on par with you. We saw this with Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich during his first season in Germany in the 2013/2014 season. Guardiola's Bayern Munich was so good and so dominant that they won the league in late March, with 7 league games to spare.

But the main target of the season was not to win the league, it was to win the Champions League yet again. In the knockout stages Bayern had to face teams that were playing competitive league games every week whilst they themselves could afford to take their foot off the pedal in their league games because the title had been won so early. The danger to this is luxury, of course, that the team can lose its competitive edge and sharpness. And that's seemingly what had happened to Bayern by the time they had to face Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, 6 short weeks after winning their domestic title. Although many expected the tie to be a very close contest, Bayern were beaten 5-0 on aggregate and looked out of pace with the tempo of the contest for large parts of the tie.

Perhaps the reason for Bayern's capitulation was that they were facing a team that was used to grinding out results every weak and they had to reprogram their mentality to meet the demands of such a tough contest. Guardiola and Bayern were certainly not helped by playing in a league where they routinely overrun weaker sides every week

LAW 19: KNOW WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH- DO NOT OFFEND THE WRONG PERSON

"...There are many different kinds of people in the world, and you can never assume that everyone will react to your strategies in the same way. Deceive or outmaneuver some people and they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge. They are wolves in lambs’ clothing. Choose your victims and opponents carefully, then – never offend or deceive the wrong person..."

In 2004 the then coach of Real Madrid, Josè Antonio Camacho, was involved in a heated training ground argument with one of his star players, Zinedine Zidane. During the argument, Zidane reportedly asked Camacho "Who the hell do you think you are?" and Camacho responded with "I think I'm the coach and I'm in charge here!". A few days later, Camacho was fired. He was now the ex-coach. 

What Camacho failed to realise was that he may have been Zidane's boss according the official hierarchy but Zidane was one of the greatest players in history and he came with an ego to match. He was also the cornerstone of the club's galactico policy and he had the club president's ear. As one of the president's favourite players, Camacho should have realised that keeping Zidane happy was a top priority. He offended the wrong person.

LAW 20: DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYONE

 "...It is the fool who always rushes to take sides. Do not commit to any side or cause but yourself. By maintaining your independence, you become the master of others – playing people against one another, making them pursue you..."

We see the application of this law all the time when a coach has 2 players of equal quality available to start in the same position in his starting XI. Instead of clarifying who the unequivocal first choice is, the smart coaches play a rotation game and thus give neither option room to rest on his laurels as an automatic starter. During his Barcelona days, Frank Rijkaard had a pattern of playing Sylvinho in the left-back position for every cup & continental match and Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the same position for league matches. Carlo Ancelotti had the same selection policy with Iker Casillas and Diego Lopez in the goalkeeper position at Real Madrid. Even more recently, Luis Enrique did it with Marc-Andre Ter Stergen and Claudio Bravo.

LAW 21: PLAY A SUCKER TO CATCH A SUCKER – SEEM DUMBER THAN YOUR MARK

"...No one likes feeling stupider than the next persons.  The trick, is to make your victims feel smart – and not just smart, but smarter than you are.  Once convinced of this, they will never suspect that you may have ulterior motives..."

An occasion that encapsulates this law is the build-up to the 1994 UEFA Champions League Final between Barcelona and AC Milan. The Milan coach, Fabio Capello, quietly feigned an inferiority complex and allowed the press to tout Barcelona as the overwhelming favourites to win the game. 

Capello instructed his players to avoid the temptation stating their case in the newspapers and Barcelona did themselves no favours by buying into the hype. Their coach, the legendary Johan Cruyff, insisted that it was impossible for them to lose. In fact Cruyff had already been pictured holding the trophy at one of the events leading up to the game and in the end, the Barcelona players believed that they were there in Athens to collect the trophy rather than compete for it. "Barcelona are favourites," Cruyff said. "We're more complete, competitive and experienced than [in the 1992 final] at Wembley. Milan are nothing out of this world. They base their game on defence, we base ours on attack."

And then of course, after that, it was time to contest the Final. Sadly for Cruyff, all the game did was prove that sometimes in football, your mouth can write a cheque that your team can't cash. Milan smashed Barcelona 4-0 and took the trophy home. They didn't just beat Barcelona, they eviscerated and outclassed them. Also to be noted; Capello outwitted Cruyff. The whole Barcelona squad, along with Cruyff, fell for Capello's trap.

LAW 22: USE THE SURRENDER TACTIC: TRANSFORM WEAKNESS INTO POWER

"...When you are weaker, never fight for honor’s sake; choose surrender instead. Surrender gives you time to recover, time to torment and irritate your conqueror, time to wait for his power to wane. Do not give him the satisfaction of fighting and defeating you – surrender first. By turning the other check you infuriate and unsettle him. Make surrender a tool of power..."

This is tactic usually employed by coaches when their team has fallen too far behind in a title race. If the odds of overtaking the league leaders are slim, it's best to publicly concede defeat in your efforts and remove all pressure and expectations. At that point all the pressure is transferred to your rivals and it's now up to them to make sure that they don't choke on their lead and bottle their title challenge. This is the strategy Roberto Mancini used in 2012 when his Manchester City team was 8 points behind Manchester United with just 7 games left to play in the season. "The title race is over", he said. "Against a strong United side, it is impossible for us to win this title from the position we're in." 

Manchester United eventually cracked and dropped valuable points before City caught them with a couple of games remaining. Manchester City eventually won the league on goal difference, in the last minute, on the last day of the season, after they too nearly choked on the pressure of being top of the table.

LAW 23: CONCENTRATE YOUR FORCES

"...Conserve your forces and energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point. You gain more by finding a rich mine and mining it deeper, than-by flitting from one shallow mine to another-intensity defeats extensity every time. When looking for sources of power to elevate you, find the one key patron, the fat cow who you will milk for a long time to come..."

What comes to mind with this law is Unai Emery's stint as FC Sevilla coach between 2013 and 2016. Sevilla were already established as one of the biggest teams in Spain but had disappointed in the previous league campaign, finishing in 9th place. The mission before Emery was not just to improve Sevilla's standing in La Liga, but to also make them a consistent force in European football. And all this had to be done on a shoestring budget when compared to other sides of equal stature across Europe.

In La Liga, Emery's Sevilla's had no serious aspirations to challenge for the League title and topple the two behemoths, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Two consecutive 5th place finishes in Emery's first 2 seasons were considered as satisfactory but Sevilla stood little chance of winning silverware in a country where trophies were almost always won by Real Madrid or Barcelona.

The Europa League was going to be the stage for Sevilla and Emery to make their mark. In this competition, Sevilla had the perfect platform to showcase their talent, pursue silverware and not have to worry about competing with Real Madrid or Barcelona for the prize. It may be the second tier continental competition but the Europa League is highly competitive and Sevilla became its kings. For 3 straight seasons, Emery concentrated his forces on acquiring the most realistic trophy available and Sevilla won the competition every season before Emery departed for Paris Saint Germain in 2016.

Paris Saint Germain hired Emery when they were desperate to be seen as a serious contender in the Champions League and by now he had acquired a reputation as one of Europe's coaches. Although it wasn't quite the Champions League, the Europa League was the fat cow that Emery milked over and over again to heighten his power. During his tenure at Sevilla, Emery was smart enough to focus his energies on the tournament his team had the strongest chance of winning and in the end his reward was an appointment to one of the most exciting opportunities in football management, with a much larger transfer war-chest at his disposal.

LAW 24: PLAY THE PERFECT COURTIER

"...The perfect courtier thrives in a world where everything revolves around power and political dexterity. He has mastered the art of indirection; he flatters, yields to superiors, and asserts power over others in the mot oblique and graceful manner. Learn and apply the laws of courtiership and there will be no limit to how far you can rise in the court..."

'Back me or sack me!'. This was the ultimatum that Rafael Benitez publicly threw at oil tycoon and the Inter Milan president, Massimo Moratti, in December 2010. Fans and the media were calling for Benitez to be fired because Inter were languishing in mid-table despite having won the treble 7 months earlier. Benitez arrived after the treble victory and was struggling to replicate the club's previous form. With his future hanging in the air and all sorts of rumours flying around, Benitez grew frustrated with the uncertainty and demanded that his boss kill the speculation by making a public declaration of support for him or just fire him. Moratti didn't take kindly to his underling's petulance and fired Benitez.

Benitez should have realised that he was in no position to be publicly agitating a man of Moratti's rank. A smart courtier flatters and yields to his superiors. The power dynamic does not work in reverse. When requesting favour from a master, it is wiser to approach him with humility rather than aggression

LAW 25: RE-CREATE YOURSELF

"...Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Re-create yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define if for you. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life..."

One of the great sons and servants of African football is Kalusha Bwalya, the Zambian national hero. He is Zambia's greatest ever player and was nominated for FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996 whilst playing in Mexico. He was eventually voted 12th-best player in the world, the first to be nominated after playing the entire year for a non-European club.

After retiring from club football in 2000, he remained relevant in football circles by working as an ambassador of South Africa's bid to host the first World Cup on the African continent. In 2004, South Africa won the right to host the 2010 edition of the FIFA World Cup and Kalusha Bwalya had been one of the front line combatants of the cause.

With his status in Zambian and African folklore already secure, Kalusha then tried his hand at football management and signed  up to coach his country's national team as they sought to qualify for the 2006 editions of the World Cup and AFCON. He did so as a player-coach. Like Frank Sinatra, he too did it his way.

Under Bwalya's guidance, Zambia failed to qualify for the World Cup and were eliminated in the group stages of the AFCON. Sad as they were, these disappointments were hardly a surprise considering Zambia's status in African football at the time. Kalusha Bwalya's place in the hearts of Zambian football fans was still secure when he resigned from his coaching post in 2006, with the one standout memory from his stint being  Zambia's September 2004 World Cup qualifying match against Liberia. As the game was tied at 0–0 minutes before the end, Kalusha, aged 41, came off the bench during the second half and scored a stunning free-kick to give Zambia a 1–0 victory.

In 2008, two years after stepping down as head coach of the national team, he re-created himself yet again when he was elected as the President of the Zambian Football Association. From being a superstar player, to being a continental ambassador & treasure, to a national team coach, he was now the most powerful man in Zambian football. As Robert Greene says, "Learn to play many roles to be whatever the moment requires. Adapt your mask to the situation. Be protean in the faces you wear".

LAW 26: KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN

"...You must seem a paragon of civility and efficiency: Your hands are never soiled by mistakes and nasty deeds. Maintain such a spotless appearance by using others as scapegoats and cat’s-paws to disguise your involvement..."

When the going gets tough, some managers like to use referee's as scapegoats, if convenience allows it. Some managers go even further and find a scapegoat within the squad to single out as the cause of bad results.  This tactic usually end's a player's time at the club they are managing and occasionally sways fan sympathy towards the manager. We saw Louis Van Gaal do this with Angel Di Maria and we also saw it in 2010 with Pep Guardiola scapegoating Zlatan Ibrahimovic after getting knocked out of the Champions League.

LAW 27: PLAY ON PEOPLE’S NEED TO BELIEVE TO CREATE A CULTLIKE FOLLOWING

"...People have an overwhelming desire to believe in something.  Become the focal point of such desire by offering them a cause, a new faith to follow.  Keep your words vague but full of promise; emphasize enthusiasm over rationality and clear thinking.  Give your new disciples rituals to perform, ask them to make sacrifices on your behalf.  In the absence of organized religion and grand causes, your new belief system will bring you untold power..."

In 2000, Senegal appointed a Frenchman named Bruno Metsu as their national team coach. Metsu expressed his intention to bring a transformative effect to the team and shared his belief that together they could "achieve something big". 18 months later, Senegal had qualified for their first World Cup and had also reached the final of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in their history. Although they lost the game on penalties to Cameroon, reaching the AFCON final alone was a monumental achievement for Senegal because they were not one of the continents traditional powerhouses of football.  Metsu had put Senegalese football on the map and his popularity with the locals in Senegal duly shot through the roof.

In the opening game of the 2002 World Cup, Senegal shocked the world by defeating the star-studded golden generation of Metsu's homeland, France, 1-0 in a tight contest. A result that was one of the greatest upsets in football history, it also enhanced Metsu's reputation on the world stage and earned him the esteem of millions of Africans. If Senegal's improbable run to the AFCON  finals secured his credentials as a top coach, this win over France created a cult following. He was the toast of an entire continent and from thereafter, every African football fan followed Senegal's World Cup games with bated breath  and pride-laced euphoria.

Senegal's fairytale run at that World Cup continued beyond the France victory and spanned all the way to the Quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Turkey in Extra-Time. Along the way, Metsu's men captured hearts and minds with some breathtaking football and unforgettable moments (Like a thrilling 3-3 draw with Uruguay and a Golden Goal victory over Sweden in the last 16). And at the heart of all this joy and hysteria was Bruno Metsu, the new idol of African football.

When Metsu died in 2013 (11 years after leaving his post as Senegal coach), all activities of the Senegalese national league and the Senegalese national team were suspended for a few days in his memory.

"The Magnet. An unseen force draws objects to it, which in turn become magnetized themselves, drawing other pieces to them, the magnetic power of the whole constantly increasing. But take away the original magnet and it all falls apart. Become the magnet, the invisible force that attracts people’s imaginations and holds them together. Once they have clustered around you, no power can wrest them away"

LAW 28: ENTER ACTION WITH BOLDNESS

"...If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid..."

An effective leader must inspire confidence in his followers just as an effective coach must inspire confidence in his squad. Timidity creates obstacles in your path whilst boldness removes them. When he was coaching Valencia, Unai Emery once told his players to not bother coming to training that week if they had any doubts about whether they would win their upcoming game against league leaders, Real Madrid. Although Valencia eventually lost game 3-2, they gave a spirited performance and pushed the champions-elect all the way in what was a hellacious match at the Mestalla. Emery's boldness was vindicated, even in defeat. Boldness heightens power!

LAW 29: PLAN ALL THE WAY TO THE END

"...The ending is everything. Plan all the way to it, taking into account all the possible consequences, obstacles, and twists of fortune that might reverse your hard work and give the glory to others. By planning to the end you will not be overwhelmed by circumstances and you will know when to stop. Gently guide fortune and help determine the future by thinking far ahead..."

In  November 2008, 7 months before the 2008/2009 season's Champions League Final, Luiz Felipe Scolari was so confident that his Chelsea team would be contesting the event that he let it be known that he was already trying to book a hotel for his team to stay in, come May. The safest way to predict the future is by preparing for it and shaping it. With that in mind, Big Phil ought to be admired for his boldness at least... Even though he was fired 2 months after his revelation and that Chelsea team eventually fell in the semi-final.

LAW 30: MAKE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SEEM EFFORTLESS

"...Your actions must seem natural and executed with ease. All the toil and practice that go into them, and also all the clever tricks, must be concealed. When you act, act effortlessly, as if you're ..could do much more. Avoid the temptation of revealing how hard you work – it only raises questions. Teach no one your tricks or they will be used against you..."

Vincente Del Bosque followed this law in the first half of his 8 year stint as the national team coach of Spain. When his team was winning World Cups and European Championships, his body language hardly ever betrayed relief or joy at the decisive moments. He barely celebrated in the crowning moments and appeared to be indifferent glory that his entire country was toasting. And when one achieves major accomplishments with grace and ease, the world is left in awe and wonder.

LAW 31: CONTROL THE OPTIONS: GET OTHERS TO PLAY THE CARDS YOU DEAL

"...The best deceptions are the ones that seem to give the other person a choice: Your victims feel they are in control, but are actually your puppets. Give people options that come out in your favour whichever one they choose. Force them to make choices between the lesser of two evils, both of which serve your purpose. Put them on the horns of a dilemma: They are gored wherever they turn..."

In his 4 years as Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola won the Champions League twice. In the 2 seasons when they didn't win the competition, they had narrowly lost the semi-final to the eventual winners of the competition. It was an era that felt as if Guardiola's squad had cast a large shadow over all of Europe and whoever aspired to win the Champions League had no option but to go through them. No matter what your path to the final was, if you wanted to win the competition, you had to beat Guardiola's Barcelona.

LAW 32: PLAY TO PEOPLE’S FANTASIES

"...The truth is often avoided because it is ugly and unpleasant. Never appeal to truth and reality unless you are prepared for the anger that comes for disenchantment. Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them. There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses..."

One could argue that this is the reason Arsenè Wenger has lasted this long at Arsenal despite not winning a league title for over a decade. At the start of each season he tells the fans that his team has a serious chance to win the league and when they fail, he consoles the fans by promising that the squad will be stronger next season.

And Arsenal's glory years are so recent that their fans are desperate to believe that a new golden age is on the horizon. Every season for Arsenal has these glimpses of promise that tap into the fantasies of the fans that the club is on the path towards greatness. In the end it comes to nothing and Arsenal end each season facing their decade-long stagnant reality. The key to Wenger's power is that he can spin a fantasy out of an oppressive reality.

"Men are quick to believe what they wish to be true" - Julius Caesar

LAW 33: DISCOVER EACH MAN’S THUMBSCREW

"...Everyone has a weakness, a gap in the castle wall. That weakness is usually an insecurity, an uncontrollable emotion or need; it can also be a small secret pleasure. Either way, once found, it is a thumbscrew you can turn to your advantage..."

This law is all about the art of destabilising your opponent. In 2005, the Azerbaijan coach, Carlos Alberto got into a war of words with Michael Owen after a World Cup qualifying fixture against England. In response to a perceived pre-game taunt by Owen, Carlos Alberto chose to be ruthless with his response and mocked him for being a hopeless bench warmer at Real Madrid.

"This man - what's his name? The number 10, the small one who doesn't play in the Real Madrid first team... I have a history in football but what is the history of this guy, this midget?", Alberto asked. "Who is Michael Owen anyway? What has he ever won in football? He plays for Real Madrid but he is always on the bench".

At that awkward stage of his career, Michael Owen's frustrations at not making the starting XI at club level were obvious for all to see but nobody had thrown it in his face so bluntly. Carlos Alberto may have lost the game but he brought Michael Owen back down to earth by highlighting what was probably his biggest insecurity.

LAW 34: BE ROYAL IN YOUR OWN FASHION: ACT LIKE A KING TO BE TREATED LIKE ONE

"...The way you carry yourself will often determine how you are treated; In the long run, appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you. For a king respects himself and inspires the same sentiment in others. By acting regally and confident of your powers, you make yourself seem destined to wear a crown..."

This was a law that was employed by the late Johan Cruyff when he managed Barcelona. Already established as the most influential player in the club's history during his playing days, he returned to the club with a grand vision to completely overhaul their playing style and lead them to a new era of prosperity. His confidence radiated outwards, the whole club fell behind his command and he built a team that transformed football into an art form. His legendary 'Dream Team' won the club's first European Cup in 1992 and also won 5 consecutive league titles in the early 90's.

By the time he stepped down from the club, he was already a cultural icon in the city of Barcelona. The key to his success was that he arrived with the ego of a king and thus believed that his tenure was destined for success. Even after he was no longer the head coach, he was so revered in Barcelona that the club named him as honorary president in 2009.

LAW 35: MASTER THE ART OF TIMING

"...Never seem to be in a hurry – hurrying betrays a lack of control over yourself, and over time.  Always seem patient, as if you know that everything will come to you eventually.  Become a detective of the right moment; sniff out the spirit of the times, the trends that will carry you to power.  Learn to stand back when the time is not yet ripe, and to strike fiercely when it has reached fruition..."

In the closing moments of regulation time during the 2014 edition of the Champions League Final, Real Madrid were trailing 0-1 against Atletico Madrid. When Sergio Ramos equalised in the 93rd minute of play, everyone associated with Real Madrid erupted with joy and relief. Everyone except the then Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti. The burly Italian simply nodded in approval and looked like a man who was never in any doubt that the equaliser would arrive. He didn't smile, he didn't jump for joy, and he didn't sprint across the touchline to join a group celebration. He just carried on chewing his gum and half-heartedly shook a clenched fist to acknowledge the goal. Ancelotti's manner of celebration (or lack thereof) was impressive in its aura of mastery and authoritative self-assurance. An imperial display of power.

LAW 36: DISDAIN THE THINGS YOU CANNOT HAVE: IGNORING THEM IS THE BEST REVENGE

"...By acknowledging a petty problem you give it existence and credibility. The more attention you pay an enemy, the stronger you make him; and a small mistake is often made worse and more visible when you try to fix it. It is sometimes best to leave things alone. If there is something you want but cannot have, show contempt for it. The less interest you reveal, the more superior you seem..."

When Boca Juniors lost the 2004 Copa Libertadores final  to overwhelming underdogs, Once Caldas, they didn't even bother to show up to receive the silver medal.  Boca's coach, Carlos Bianchi, explained the snub by saying "We didn't know runner-ups got a medal. Since we always win, we were unaware of what losers were supposed to do".

Since Boca were not at the heart of the presentation ceremony, Bianchi felt the need to clarify that 2nd place was unfamiliar territory for his team and that runners-up medals were unworthy of his interest. As Robert Greene writes in The 48 Laws Of Power, "Contempt is the prerogative of the king. What he decides to see has reality, what he ignores is as good as dead".  Boca wanted to be crowned champions but seeing as they couldn't, they ignored the whole post-match crowning ceremony.

LAW 37: CREATE COMPELLING SPECTACLES

"...Striking imagery and grand symbolic gestures create the aura of power – everyone responds to them.  Stage spectacles for those around you, then full of arresting visuals and radiant symbols that heighten your presence..."

Think of Diego Simeone's game day attire when Atletico Madrid are playing; The dark classic suit, complimented by a black shirt and a black tie. This trademark look, along with Simeone's fiery Latin temperament, is an effective instrument of power. In the realm of power, black is associated with elegance, formality, and intrigue. In Simeone's case, the consistent black colour scheme gives him a forceful aura and his team, inspired by this aura, becomes the footballing manifestation of Simeone's personality and power. Simeone's Atletico Madrid is the fearsome dark horse that most of Planet Football respects but would rather avoid on the field of play.

LAW 38: THINK AS YOU LIKE BUT BEHAVE LIKE OTHERS

"...If you make a show of going against the times, flaunting your unconventional ideas and unorthodox ways, people will think that you only want attention and that you look down upon them. They will find a way to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch. Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness..."

The players that were at Arsenal when Arsenè Wenger first arrived claim that he changed not just the club's playing style but also the English-infuenced culture of binge drinking. He also discouraged the players from eating junk food and took full control of their pre-match meal plans. But whenever he was asked about his opinion on English culture and life in England, Wenger smart enough to heap nothing but praise on his host nation and reserve the right to comment on any criticisms he might have had.

"If I were going to war I would want to be alongside an Englishman not a Frenchman. The Frenchman would think too much."

        - Arsene Wenger

"Sometimes now, when I watch continental games on television, I'm a bit bored. I ask, 'where is the intensity?'"

        - Arsene Wenger

LAW 39: STIR UP WATERS TO CATCH FISH

"...Anger and emotion are strategically counterproductive. You must always stay calm and objective. But if you can make your enemies angry while staying calm yourself, you gain a decided advantage. Put your enemies off-balance: Find the chink in their vanity through which you can rattle them and you hold the strings..."

This is a trick that's usually used by those tacticians that like to play mind games with their counterparts. The Alex Ferguson's and Josè Mourinho's; the men that like to start playing the game in the press room, before the ball has even been kicked. In the midst of a title race against Liverpool, Ferguson once goaded Rafael Benitez so much that it pushed the Spaniard to his breaking point where he responded in a pitiful rant about 'Facts' explaining the special treatment the English FA give Ferguson. 

"The rules for me are different. I don't want to speak much because I pay lots of fines. I pay more than others, much more than others. For example, yesterday one manager was told by an official 'I love your emotion'. Today I was told to sit down or I have to go to the stands. On the pitch was the same. I don't want to speak much because I don't want to pay fines. They [match officials] don't like my emotion". This was Mourinho's hilarious baiting of Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp, who often runs frantically up and down the touchline and screams at officials.

LAW 40: DESPISE THE FREE LUNCH

"...What has worth is worth paying for. By paying your own way you stay clear of gratitude, guilt, and deceit. It is also often wise to pay the full price – there is no cutting corners with excellence. Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power..."

There are few things as wretched as listening to some lowly manager groaning about how he's interested in a certain transfer target but the market price is too high for him to close the deal. When a manager is serious about signing a top player, there is no room for stinginess. When Mourinho was desperate to get a world-class midfielder at Manchester United, he broke the world record to sign Paul Pogba. When Massimo Allegri and Juventus wanted a top striker to take their European ambitions to the next level, they coughed up the €90 Million required to activate Gonzalo Higuain’s buyout clause, they didn't bother grovelling for a cheaper price from Napoli.

"The powerful understand that money is psychologically charged. Powerful people judge everything by what it costs, not just in money but in time, dignity and peace of mind".  -Robert Greene

"The worth of money is not in its possession but in its use" -Aesop Fables

LAW 41: AVOID STEPPING INTO A GREAT MAN’S SHOES

"...What happens first always appears better and more original than what comes after. Do not get lost in the shadow of, or stuck in a past not of your own making: Establish your own name and identity by changing course. Slay the overbearing father, disparage his legacy, and gain power by shining in your own way..."

Well we all saw what happened when David Moyes replaced Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford...  There seemed to be a romantic and dynastic essence about it all initially; An ageing and revered Scotsman was handing over the reins of a great empire to a younger, less accomplished but promising Scotsman. It was a move that had all the ingredients and imagery of a poetic transfer of power but it didn't take too long for it to all quickly fall apart. A combination of bad results and humiliating transfer pursuits almost immediately made it clear that Moyes was inferior to his predecessor. He didn't have the drawing power, motivational skills or the commanding presence associated with Ferguson and so it wasn't all that surprising to anyone when the fans and the media quickly turned on him and pressured the club to dismiss him before he could even complete his first season. One wonders if he would've been granted more time and accorded more respect if wasn't for the fact that he was the replacement of one of the great giants of British football.

Josè Mourinho always seems to be very careful with this aspect of the game of power. When arriving at Chelsea in 2004, he was already a European champion and was replacing Claudio Ranieri, then more a respected than an accomplished coach. When he arrived at Inter Milan in 2008, he was by then an annoyingly successful sports icon and the man he was succeeding, Roberto Mancini, was a serial underachiever in continental contests. Two years after that he arrived at Real Madrid to replace Manuel Pellegrini, an uninspiring, soft-spoken man that never looked secure in the job from the day he was appointed. Three years later he returned to Chelsea to relieve Rafael Benitez of his duties as caretaker coach.(Benitez's managerial history is a comedy of failures when compared to Mourinho's). Now Josè Mourinho is at Manchester United, where the last 2 men to hold the job were complete disasters. If Mourinho produces anything there above average and remotely resembling greatness, he knows he'll be seen as a saviour. Good for him!

LAW 42: STRIKE THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP WILL SCATTER

"...Trouble can often be traced to a single strong individual-the stirrer; the arrogant underling, the poisoner of goodwill. If you allow such people room to operate, others will succumb to their influence. Do not wait for the troubles they cause to multiply, do not try to negotiate with them-they are irredeemable. Neutralize their influence by isolating or banishing them. Strike at the source of the trouble and the sheep will scatter..."

When Pep Guardiola was promoted from being FC Barcelona's B-team coach to head coach of the club June 2008, he inherited a squad built around the most famous footballer in the world at the time, Ronaldinho. Barcelona had not won anything for 2 straight seasons- an unacceptable statistic for a club of that size- and the previous season had ended with this highly decorated, star-studded Barcelona squad finishing 3rd in the league, 18 points behind the champions,  Real Madrid. Two years earlier, Barcelona were on top of the world after winning the Champions league, along with a 2nd consecutive league title, and Ronaldinho too was on ruling the roost as the world's top footballer. At that time, Ronaldinho was the current holder of the Ballon D'Or and was dazzling the entire world with his unmatched skills on the pitch. But now in 2008 the great man was in a terrible decline and his fall from grace was being metaphorically echoed by FC Barcelona. Ronaldinho was looking flabby; he'd grown a reputation for his partying ways and lack of discipline. To make matters worse, his approach to life had contaminated the entire Barcelona squad. The team was playing without intensity, chemistry or flare and had lost the mental edge required to be champions. Guardiola wanted a fresh start and to instil new values to his underachieving squad. Drastic changes were required...

Part of Guardiola's method was to infuse a new work ethic in the players and also to encourage an atmosphere of humility from every member of the squad, no matter how talented, rich or famous they were. This new chapter in Barcelona's history required players to give maximum effort in training, be punctual when representing the club in any capacity and also adhere to the newly implemented weeknight curfew.  And as far Guardiola saw it, Ronaldinho was the very antithesis of everything he was trying to build at Barcelona. Pep had no interest in trying to resurrect the career of a known party animal that was said to have attended one out every three training sessions the previous season. Ronaldinho was sold before Guardiola had even taken a single training session with him because there was no room for wayward prima donna's in the squad. Twelve months later, Barcelona were treble winners and were also being lauded for their tremendous team-spirit and work-ethnic.

LAW 43: WORK ON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF OTHERS

"...You must seduce others into wanting to move in your direction. A person you have seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will grow to hate you..."

At every club he's ever coached, Josè Mourinho has always made a point of keeping a close relationship with the fans. When Chelsea won the league in 2006, Mourinho threw his winners medal into the crowd as a gesture to thank the fans for their unwavering support throughout the season. After his last match as Inter Milan coach, he publicly wept with in front of the cameras and the video of his tearful embrace with Marco Matterazzi went viral.

Because he appeals to the heart and emotions of the fans, Mourinho is usually loved by his own fans, even if he's hated elsewhere. Even when his results begin to falter, clubs are often reluctant to dismiss him because it would rile the fans up. If a Mourinho coached team is doing poorly, the fans will usually tell you that it's the players who are failing him or that there's some far-fetched conspiracy against him. It's never his fault.

"At all times you must attend to those around you, gauging their particular psychology, tailoring your words to what you know will entice and seduce them. This requires energy and art. The higher your station, the greater the need to remain attuned to the hearts and minds of those below you, creating base of support to maintain you at the pinnacle. Without that base, your power will teeter, and at the slightest change of fortune those below will gladly assist in your fall from grace" -Robert Greene

LAW 44: DISARM AND INFURIATE WITH THE MIRROR EFFECT

"...The mirror reflects reality, but it is also the perfect tool for deception: When you mirror your enemies, doing exactly as they do, they cannot figure out your strategy.  The Mirror Effect mocks and humiliates them, making them overreact.  By holding up a mirror to their psyches, you seduce them with the illusion that you share their values; by holding up a mirror to their actions, you teach them a lesson.  Few can resist the power of Mirror Effect..."

In the European summer of 2015, the head coach of Manchester United was Louis Van Gaal and the biggest job on his hands was keeping hold of the club's recently crowned player of the season, David De Gea. With 12 months remaining on his current deal and after repeatedly refusing to sign a new contract, De Gea had made it clear that he wanted to join Real Madrid. At the time De Gea was perhaps the only world class player at Manchester and so Van Gaal was understandably reluctant to sell, especially to a club as arrogant as Real Madrid. In fact the whole saga, characterised by Real Madrid's shameless public courtship of De Gea, had not only bruised the ego of Manchester United as a club but had also unsettled Van Gaal's plans for the coming season. And so Van Gaal decided to hit back...

You see, whilst Real Madrid were busy pursuing David De Gea, they were also locked in the middle of a difficult contract negotiation with their star defender, Sergio Ramos. Incidentally, Ramos had 12 months remaining on his contract, just as De Gea did.  Real Madrid were reluctant to raise his salary to anything above €8 million p/a and Ramos meanwhile was demanding €10 million p/a. In the middle of this deadlock, Louis Van Gaal saw an opportunity and instructed the suits at Manchester United to submit a bid for Sergio Ramos. There was also a €13 million p/a package on the table for Ramos if he fancied the move to Old Trafford. Now it was Real Madrid's turn to persuade an unsettled star player to stay.

By holding up a mirror to people's actions, you teach them a lesson. Louis Van Gaal probably realised that the chances of Sergio Ramos actually joining Man United were slim but he could at least momentarily give Real Madrid a taste of their own medicine by mimicking their unpleasant behaviour. In the end Ramos committed his long-term future to Real Madrid for €10 million p/a but until he signed on the dotted line, Real Madrid were completely disarmed from agitating Manchester United by openly pursuing David De Gea.

LAW 45: PREACH THE NEED FOR CHANGE, BUT NEVER REFORM TOO MUCH AT ONCE

"...Everyone understands the need for change in the abstract, but on the day-to-day level people are creatures of habit. Too much innovation is traumatic, and will lead to revolt. If you are new to a position of power, or an outsider trying to build a power base, make a show of respecting the old way of doing things. If change is necessary, make it feel like a gentle improvement on the past..."

This law captures the sentiments of so many about Ernst Middendorp's short and disastrous spell in charge of Kaizer Chiefs in 2005. As understandable as it may be for a new coach to want to imprint his own identity into his squad, changes must be applied in moderation so as to not alienate the fans and the players. Middendorp didn't agree with that philosophy. This guy inherited a team that had just won its 2nd consecutive league title and felt the need to fix so many things that weren't broken to begin with. He relegated senior players to the bench, he tested different playing styles in important league games, and he played several players out of their natural positions, much to the ire of the fans. All this tinkering and experimenting inevitably killed the winning culture in the squad and cost the team valuable points and silverware. He was quickly nicknamed "Midden-draw" by the fans and the media because his team drew so many games with him in charge. After a string of poor results and seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel, Middendorp was fired before the season had even finished. He only lasted 8 months at a club that is sometimes annoyingly patient with faltering coaches.

"Image: The Cat. Creature of habit, it loves the warmth of the familiar. Upset its routines, disrupt its space, and it will grow unmanageable and psychotic. Placate it by supporting its rituals. If change is necessary, deceive the cat by keeping the smell of the past alive" - Robert Greene

LAW 46: NEVER APPEAR TOO PERFECT

"...Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. Only gods and the dead can seem perfect with impunity..."

By the time Pep Guardiola made his long expected arrival to the soap opera that is English football, the scrutiny that awaited him created a blinding spotlight. At only 46 years old, the new Manchester City boss already won 6 league titles in 7 seasons of football management and had won the Champions League twice. In its early days, his success was surrounded by an atmosphere of fanfare and praise, but towards the end of his spell in German football, he'd made a lot of figures within the game feel inferior and his success was now envied rather than glorified. "Pep is a fraud" and "Pep has always inherited great teams" were the most common narratives used by his detractors. Fortune comforts the envious because it assures them that success would be within their reach too if they were just as 'lucky'.

Guardiola won his first 10 competitive games in charge of Manchester City, but then went  on a six-game winless streak following and the critics jumped at the chance to crucify him. Those who questioned Guardiola's methods in the wake of City's poor run of form painted a gloomier picture with each new setback but when one read between the lines of their heavy criticism, it was clear that the driving force was envy. Guardiola's silent enemies were now coming out of the closet

One wonders if envy is is not the reason that Guardiola has such a carefully crafted public image. He never insults his rivals, he never brags about his accomplishments and he hardly ever courts controversy. The excessively successful have to work the most to cover their brilliance with decency.

"Envy is the tax which all distinction must pay" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

LAW 47: DO NOT GO PAST THE MARK YOU AIMED FOR; IN VICTORY, LEARN WHEN TO STOP

"...The moment of victory is often the moment of greatest peril. In the heat of victory, arrogance and overconfidence can push you past the goal you had aimed for, and by going too far, you make more enemies than you defeat. Do not allow success to go to your head. There is no substitute for strategy and careful planning. Set a goal, and when you reach it, stop..."

Both the observance and transgression of this law are best exemplified by Marcelo Lippi's 2 stints as head coach of the Italian national team. When Fabio Grosso slotted home the winning penalty in the 2006 World Cup Final, Lippi crowned the victorious moment by lighting a cigar to toast his greatest conquest. Italy were now the world champions and Lippi now had a World Cup victory added to his already glittering CV. Power secured. Immediately after the tournament, Lippi stepped down as Italy's national team coach and walked away.

But then 2 years later, Lippi returned to his post as Italy coach and was tasked with defending Italy's title at the upcoming 2010 World Cup. By the time the World Cup came around, Lippi's squad was made up of mostly veterans from the victorious 2006 squad but Italy performed extremely poorly. The defending champions drew 1–1 with both Paraguay and New Zealand before losing 3–2 to Slovakia and finishing bottom of the group. Lippi resigned with his tail tucked between his legs after the Slovakia defeat.

When Lippi took up the task of leading Italy to another World Cup, he failed to note the role that luck and circumstance had played in his earlier triumph, 4 years earlier. Most of his core players were now in their mid or late thirties and probably past their prime but Lippi nonetheless expected his own tactical brilliance to carry the day. Success plays that sort of trick on the mind. Lippi had it right when he walked away the first time.

LAW 48: ASSUME FORMLESSNESS

"...By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack. Instead of taking a form for your enemy to grasp, keep yourself adaptable and on the move. Accept the fact that nothing is certain and no law is fixed. The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. Everything changes..."

An effective football coach knows that his role in the lives of his players and within a football club constantly changes according to circumstances. Depending on what the squad requires, he must be a father figure, a drill sergeant, a confidant, or even a psychologist. The most successful coaches always adapt their approach according to what the situation requires. The man we see in the press room isn't necessarily the same man the players see on the training ground. The man we see screaming on the touchline during the game is probably a different man from the one who gives the pre-match team-talk in the locker-room. A successful coach assumes formlessness and adapts to whatever the situation requires.