5 Lessons from Sir Alex Ferguson that could rescue Jose Mourinho

#4 Humility

Manchester United v Swansea City - Premier League

Sir Alex Ferguson won 38 trophies as a United Manager, but not once did you hear him boast about himself. He was the first to take the blame when things went wrong and always gave credit where it was due.

During his time, there were a lot of rivalries with opposition managers – Sir Alex’s famous mind games managed to rock quite a few of them, but the Scot always demanded respect and was respectful of his colleagues. He had a controlled aggression, where he managed to rile everyone without crossing the line. It was a gift, and it was a result of his humble upbringings.

But he was not soft in any aspect, however, the only people who faced his wrath in public were the referees. How many times was he seen giving the fourth official a mouthful? How many times did he shout and glare at the referee? Sir Alex faced actions from FA during his tenure and it was because he did not mince his words when it came to refereeing. It was something that made his the most feared manager in the league.

Mourinho has always been arrogant and boastful, yet he expects people to respect him. If he really wants some respect, he needs to learn to be respectful of his players, of his colleagues. The Portuguese could do with a little more humility.

It is a sign of a great man and it is embedded in many good managers in the Premier League right now, for instance, Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and even Maurizio Sarri, to name a few. It may be a little too late for him to change now, but it is his arrogance that has been his downfall again and again.