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Whether it be by virtue of a scathing dismissal or mutual consent, a manager parting company with a football club is always bound to snatch at a few headlines. Clubs may be lambasted for showing a lack of loyalty or managers may come under fire for losing squad morale so easily, but it’s always a controversial event.
Regardless of the circumstances, when a manager leaves a club, it can be difficult to settle down and look for the next opportunity. Walking through the doors of another club can be strange and exciting but one phenomenon that is especially eyebrow-raising is a return to a former club. For most, the thought of walking back through the doors of a club that they previously bid farewell to is beyond laughable yet others have done exactly that.
Many, in fact, have left a club, only to return at a later point in their career and then leave again under similar circumstances. It sounds inconceivable but it’s all too true.
Here’s a look over a select five individuals who have done exactly this.
1. José Mourinho – Chelsea
The first name that springs to mind when pondering these unusual circumstances is undoubtedly Jose Mourinho. Having secured domestic football’s greatest prize in the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto in 2004, the Portuguese made the switch to Stamford Bridge later that summer.
Dubbing himself as “the special one” not long after strolling into the London club’s dugout, Mourinho’s magic was immediately apparent after he led the Blues to their first top-flight domestic title in 50 years in his first full season. A trophy haul followed, which included another Premier League title, one FA Cup victory and three League Cups.
A poor start to the 2007/08 season coupled with a rumoured quarrel with Roman Abramovich and Mourinho was given the axe. In his time away, the club sought success in domestic and European competition, while Mourinho would himself lift the prestigious Champions League again, this time with Inter Milan.
After a less than impressive spell with Real Madrid, José returned to ‘the Bridge’. After leading Chelsea again to the Premier League title in his second year in charge, all hell broke loose a year later. His second spell would end in far worse circumstances.
The Portugues manager failed to complete his third season as following nine defeats in their opening 16 league matches into the campaign, Mourinho was shown an all-too-familiar exit door.
2. Fabio Capello – Real Madrid
Having plied his trade across the continent with a host of big clubs, as well as dipping into the international game for a brief time, Capello has seen his fair share of sackings. Following a successful spell with AC Milan in the early-to-mid 90s, the Italian was rewarded with an appointment as the new Real Madrid coach in 1996.
It seemed the post was always going to be short term; despite lifting the Spanish League title that campaign, there was friction between the Italian and chairman Lorenzo Sanz. Fabio was be sent packing after a mere season in charge.
This prompted a return to management in his home country, where Capello went on to spearhead AC Milan again, as well as giants Roma and Juventus. However, in 2006, the Calciopoli Serie A scandal saw Juventus among many Italian outfits accused of rigging matches and so, in the heat of the conflict, Capello saw fit to resign.
Real, suspended amidst one of their longest trophyless spells, called for Fabio to return and so he did. A series of disagreements with certain Galacticos, such as Beckham, Ronaldo and Cassano, saw the team unity disintegrate. While the now 69-year-old had led Los Blancos to another La Liga title, it was not enough to salvage his job.
3. Claudio Ranieri – Valencia FC
The name very much on everybody’s lips at the moment; the 64-year-old Italian has spearheaded one of the greatest, most surprising top division title charges in the history of English football, but his ventures haven’t always been so rewarding. Off the back of seven successful years coaching in his country of birth, Ranieri’s first international challenge came in the form of a role as Valencia manager in 1997.
During his tenure, he aided the flourishing of talents such as Gaizka Mendieta and Javier Farinós, while putting the club back on the map both domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.
Following a short spell with Atletico Madrid and four years with Chelsea, Ranieri returned to the Mestalla in 2004. His team started his second reign in stellar fashion, lifting the UEFA Super Cup and making a blockbuster start to the La Liga season. From there on, however, it would be a downhill spiral.
Claudio came under fire for poor business in the transfer market, while results in the Champions Leauge and then La Liga worsened as well. The Spaniards saw fit to fire ‘the Tinkerman’ following the club’s UEFA Cup exit to Steaua Bucuresti.
4. Zdenek Zeman – Roma
From Palermo to Lugano, the list of clubs Zeman has coached takes some beating. Having taken charge of the likes of Lecce and Foggia each for more than one spell, Roma are surprisingly the only club to have dismissed the Czech on two separate occasions.
His initial arrival came with controversy. After a successful three-year spell with Lazio, in which Zeman’s side confirmed a top three finish each season, the now 68-year-old was axed, but chose to continue his managerial career in the Italian capital with Lazio’s bitter rivals in 1997.
Securing the fourth place in his first season at the helm, Zeman’s follow-up campaign saw Roma finish one place worse which prompted the Roma board to show him the exit door as the aforementioned Capello strolled in.
Outings at ten further clubs and another thirteen years separated his first and second spell with I Giallorossi and second time around it wouldn’t be any easier. The club slumped to a less-than-impressive 8th mid-season and Zdenêk was shoved out the door again.
5. Héctor Cúper – Mallorca
Certainly one of the lesser-known individuals on the list, Cúper has an impressive managerial dossier. After modest spells in charge of Spanish outfits Huracán and Lanús, the Argentine achieved one of the greatest feats of his career with Mallorca, who he propelled into the Copa del Rey final in his first season (1997-98).
The club would lose to Barcelona, but Cúper quickly established a solid unit that would go on to win the 1998 Spanish Supercup as well as a remarkable 3rd place finish that same season. This also ensured Mallorca of an appearance in the prestigious Champions Leauge.
Reasonable success followed for Cúper after he left Mallorca for Valencia in 1999. He would go on to manage Inter Milan also in his time away, during which Mallorca would struggle. Rooted to the lower end of the league ladder at the start of the 2004/05 campaign, Mallorca requested Cúper to return and the now 60-year-old saved the club from relegation.
Results, however, didn’t improve the following season however and Cúper resigned once again in early 2006.
6. Kevin Keegan – Newcastle United
Nearly a decade after parting ways with the Magpies as a player, Keegan would return to St. James Park to practically revolutionise the club from Tyneside. He arrived in the dugout amidst a desolate spell for the club, which saw them on the brink of relegation to England’s third tier.
The now 65-year-old, with the help of newly acquired forward David Kelly, the acquisition of Andy Cole and a rejuvenated squad fought the drop in Keegan’s first campaign, only to go one better and secure a remarkable first place and promotion to the top flight in the 1992/93 season.
Keegan continued to work his magic the following campaign, as the newly promoted Newcastle, confirmed a third place Premier League finish as well as UEFA Cup football. It would represent a golden era for the Magpies, who grew in strength and fell marginally short of the title in the 1995/96 season, only to be pipped to the post by Manchester United.
The decline that followed stemmed from this point and, after more seasons without title success as Keegan left in 1997.
Following stints with Fulham, England and Manchester City, his return to Tyneside was surprising albeit short-term. Results fluctuated and tensions grew between Keegan and Mike Ashley as his tenure progressed, only for him to say one final goodbye to his beloved Newcastle less than eight months into his second spell in charge.
7. Steve McClaren – FC Twente
The wally-with-the-brolly may not be renowned for his proclaimed success at international level, nor with any English outfit in particular, but his spells abroad and in Eredivisie especially were high points in his career.
Off the back of a disappointing time in charge of his nation, McClaren bounced back by accepting a role as manager of FC Twente, who he led to a sound second place finish and the final of the Dutch cup in his debut season.
Despite shifting around personnel the following campaign, FC Twente maintained good form. They held off Martin Jol’s Ajax for the entire season and went on to lift their first ever Eredivisie title; making McClaren the first English manager since Bobby Robson to lead a foreign outfit to a top domestic title.
His success didn’t go unnoticed though and he quickly attracted the attention of German giants Wolfsburg came calling the following season. Another short spell there, followed by an even briefer liason with Nottingham Forest and McClaren was back with FC Twente just two years after departing.
Once again, McClaren would tweak his squad making some rather controversial dealings in the transfer market, not least the £5 million sale of star forward Marc Janko. His decisions began to be met with great hostility. After quickly losing the dressing room and the fans, McClaren saw fit to bid one final fairwell to his Dutch counterparts a year later.
