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By going back to Bayern Munich after helping them to the Champions League title in 2012-13, Jupp Heynckes is playing with fire.
Now in his fourth spell at the club, he has arguably more to lose than ever before. His reputation, which could not be higher after leaving following a dramatic 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, is on the line as he tries to pick up the pieces of a poor start to the season made under Carlo Ancelotti.
Rarely do managers return to major clubs, particularly on continental Europe – and when they do, it rarely goes well. Here are five managers who returned to their former clubs:
#5 Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth 2002-04, 2005-08)
Now in the news again as he toys with the possibility of becoming Scotland manager, Harry Redknapp was for a long time one of the most highly regarded English bosses in the game. Perhaps his peak times came with Portsmouth, whom he helped into the Premier League during his first stint then succeeded in winning the FA Cup in his second.
Since then, it has not gone so well for the former Tottenham boss as he was sacked from his role at Birmingham City with the club struggling to survive in the Championship. Portsmouth have suffered an even more severe decline, having played in League Two until the last term.
#4 Jose Mourinho (Chelsea 2004-07, 2013-15)
Perhaps the most famous example of a manager returning to his former team is Jose Mourinho, who has twice headed Chelsea. He branded himself the ‘Special One’ when he arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2004 amid a buzz of media interest having led Porto to become European champions months earlier.
He never hit the same heights with the Blues but he did win two league titles before being sacked.
Though he fell out with owner Roman Abramovich, the success he enjoyed at Inter and Real Madrid subsequently saw him invited back, and while this wrought another league title, he was sacked again rapidly the following season.
#3 Fabio Capello (Real Madrid 1996-97, 2006-97)
The Real Madrid job is the most unforgiving in football, yet former AC Milan boss Fabio Capello was not sufficiently put off its charms after being sacked the first time around to go back for another try. Ironically, he was successful in both his stints, winning the league in both seasons.
But the Bernabeu club hold a special standard all of their own and that was emphasised after the Italian’s first campaign in charge, when he was sacked for not playing an attractive enough brand of football.
Evidently, 10 years was enough for the club to forget the criticism they received from media and fans for his dour style and led to another stint that ended in similarly unheralded success.
#2 Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool 1985-91, 2011-12)
Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish had two spells in charge of the Anfield club a full two decades apart. He ranks as one of the club’s greatest players and enhanced his reputation as a Reds legend when he helped them to three league titles and two FA Cups in his first spell in charge.
After enjoying success at Blackburn, where he won the Premier League, difficult times at Newcastle and Celtic followed, so by the time he took over at Liverpool once more having spent more than 10 years out of the game, it was never going to be an easy task.
The Reds finished a disappointing eighth in the Champions League, although their season was salvaged by a run to the FA Cup final, in which they were defeated by Chelsea. Less than two weeks later, the Scot left by mutual consent.
#1 Tony Pulis (Stoke 2002-05, 2006-13)
Since the turn of the millennium, Tony Pulis has been one of the most emblematic managers in the Premier League. He has been known for the no-nonsense approach of his teams, who embody the English spirit by playing in a direct and physical manner – a throwback to the years before foreign players dominated the league.
Pulis built Stoke in his image during his two spells at the club, making them ferociously difficult to beat, particularly in the Potteries, which led to the birth of the famous Andy Gray phrase: “Can he do it on a cold, wet Wednesday night in Stoke?”
He is the reason Stoke have enjoyed Premier League football for so long.
