A Salford academic will reveal one of the world’s best football manager’s greatest secrets in a new book published today.
Professor Chris Brady, Director of the University of Salford’s Centre for Sports Business, has co-authored a guide to Carlo Ancelotti’s ‘Quiet Management’ style.
Brady spent a week interviewing the Italian to research the book, which is released today, 26 May.
Ancelotti reveals his philosophy on what it takes to be a good leader: everything from handling the talent to dealing with setbacks, managing the workplace to tactics, analytics and mind games.
The 56-year-old former Milan and Roma midfielder led Chelsea to their first domestic double in 2010 and has won the Champions League a record five times.
In July he’ll take the helm at German Champions Bayern Munich.
He is considered one of the most successful managers of the modern age.
David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo – all of whom have worked for or against Ancelotti – make contributions to the manual.
“In contrast to the hysteria and theatrics of some rival managers, such as potential Man Utd manager Jose Mourinho, Ancelotti is known for his calm and measured style,” said Brady
“He has an innate ability to lead his players, inspiring their intense loyalty.
“There are few better qualified to share the secrets of management.”
With Mourinho due to take over at Manchester United from the much-maligned Louis Van Gaal (once his image rights are sorted) Brady’s book, co-authored with Mike Forde, is due to provide an insight into top-level Premiership management styles.
He said: “We took two or three years to pull it together, we wanted it to be something we could be proud of.
“We wanted something that was a bit unusual. This is not a biography, it’s a look at management in general and will be of interest to business people as well as those interested in football.
“We have tried to look at Ancelotti’s quiet approach to leadership versus the Ferguson approach, which is a bit more vocal.”
The book asks which traits and habits make Ancelotti so consistently effective. What’s the key to handling the egos of the players, the demands of owners and the media? What shapes his decision-making?
“Everyone said he is a great man manager. Capello recommended that Beckham played for AC Milan because Ancellotti was the manager for example,” said Brady.
“The biggest thing that everyone agreed was that he looks after people, takes care of them and develops them.”
‘Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds and Matches’ is published by Portfolio Penguin UK.
Main image: Carlo Ancelotti/Wikimedia Commons
