Jose, Pep, genius? Try managing Blackpool…

Genius is a word often used in the same breath as names like Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. But, as good as they may be in the dugout, they do not operate on an even financial field to most other managers.

Guardiola did an outstanding job at Barcelona. But it’s easy to forget that he inherited a team that had just won the treble in Spain. His biggest task was to force some of the bigger names out of the exit door. Once that mission was accomplished he was given millions to add to the squad.

His latest challenge comes at Manchester City. Yes it will be a difficult task to beat Manchester United and Chelsea to the title race, but he’s got a bottomless pot of money to throw at it.

That leads me to Mourinho. The biggest achievement in his career was leading Porto to the Champions League success of 2004. That success earned him a move to Chelsea where, backed by Roman Abramovich’s billions, he steered Chelsea to two successive Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup.

Now he takes the reigns at Old Trafford backed by another millionaire willing to throw their cheque book at the cause.

Handling big name players and keeping them all in line can be difficult. But is it ‘genius’? Not in the slightest.

Brian Clough leading Nottingham Forest to promotion followed by two European Cups comes close. As does Claudio Ranieri’s achievement in turning Leicester City into title winners, a feat that is unlikely to happen again.

Eddie Howe keeping Bournemouth in the top flight, comfortably, while playing a style of football that is easy on the eye, was a massive achievement. Indeed, guiding Bournemouth to the Premier League in the first place was a seemingly impossible task made to look easy by a young, talented, English, manager.

So yes, Guardiola, Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Jurgen Klopp et al, are all undoubtedly top managers. But their job is made a damn sight easier when backed by the sort of money that only exists in football. Let’s put them in charge of a club like Blackpool, then we will see how good they really are.