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For years Brian Clough struggled with the art of modern, futuristic management.

A top, top manager in his day. A legend of the game.

Yet, Cloughy never truly moved with the times towards the end of his career.

He became disgruntled as the game moved into a new era.

His Nottingham Forest team, originally back-to-back European Cup winners, went from the riches of glory to relegation.

The sight of Clough in those low, difficult times was painful to see.

While remembering not to directly compare with such an extreme case, given Cloughy’s well-documented drink problems, there are shades in Jose Mourinho eerily reminiscent of the former.

Mourinho; pragmatist, perfectionist, winner Mourinho; looks to be struggling with the concept of modern footballers and their ways.

(Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY)

Whether it’s Paul Pogba ‘dabbing’, Jesse Lingard’s new creative handshake or a joke he’s not involved in inside the dressing room.

He's claimed to be a pragmatist for the majority of his career, so Mourinho needs to use that supposed quality to rediscover his magic touch.

Take Gareth Southgate at England, for example.

Clearly a man better suited to the short burst of international management than the club scene, Southgate nailed his role as England manager this summer because he’s a young guy, working with young players and the latter naturally look up to that.

(Image: GETTY)

This is something Mourinho needs to learn quickly.

Making Pogba captain last week was a huge shift in power at Old Trafford, which in turn shows the Portuguese is beginning to soften slightly.

There’s a lot of emphasis on that final word, nevertheless.