Any blueprint for success will be copied, that goes without saying. Imitation is, after all, the sincerest form of flattery.
None of those favouring such an approach will admit to doing so. No-one wants to be seen as a follower, especially those competing at the highest level of their chosen profession.
Instead, you will hear plenty of: ‘I’m my own man and I do things my way’.
That is all well and good, and in some cases may be true, but you would be foolish not to seek inspiration from the best of the best and endeavour to sprinkle some of their stardust over your own grand plan.
In managerial circles, Jose Mourinho remains the man setting the benchmark.
Pep Guardiola may have something to say about that, but until he has ‘done a Mourinho’ and guided a Porto, or a side of similar standing, to the very top of the tree, he will have to make do with a standing in the Portuguese’s shadow.
After all, most fans would fancy their chances of being successful if they had Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery at their disposal.
It is man-management skills and an ability to always be thinking one move ahead of his rivals which sets Mourinho apart from the best of the rest and makes him a modern day coaching Grandmaster.
He is also, despite what others may say in public, the man most other bosses want to emulate.
Why wouldn’t you want to follow the lead of a man boasting league titles in four countries, domestic cup success and two Champions League triumphs on a distinguished C.V?
It is also a mark of the respect the footballing world holds for him that any up-and-coming talents are immediately branded ‘the new Mourinho’. No-one has ever been called the new Harry Redknapp or Tony Pulis. They are fine managers in their own right.
There are several variations on the theme as well: the Latin Mourinho (Jorge Luis Pinto), Mourinho in a petticoat (Helena Costa), even the Ginger Mourinho (Sean Dyche).
With the original back in a post many feel he should never have left at Chelsea, there is also a generation of ‘mini-Mourinhos’ coming through in English football.
Aitor Karanka has adopted that moniker at Middlesbrough, having previously spent time working alongside the Special One at Real Madrid, while 37-year-old Eddie Howe’s achievements at Bournemouth have drawn obvious comparisons.
Both could be competing alongside the real thing in 2015/16. You can decide for yourself in the Championship betting markets for Middlesbrough and Bournemouth (both 4/7 at the time of writing) to secure promotion and a standing among the elite.
Only then can true judgement be passed on their respective ability, but it is clear that Karanka and Howe both have something about them.
Whether that quality turns out to be ‘special’ or not remains to be seen, but they have adopted similar methods to Mourinho. Their teams are tight at the back with a sprinkling of match-winning ability that has endeared them to playing staff and fan bases alike.
There may never be another man quite like the one at the Stamford Bridge helm, as he is unique in many ways. But part of the fun is seeing others try to scale those heights and prove themselves worthy of mention in the same breath.
