And whenever Mourinho gets the chequebook out he gets it right... just look at the signings of Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic and Diego Costa

of wealth, but English football has changed and they no longer have the transfer market all their own way

He had it all to lose: Jose Mourinho put his reputation and popularity at Chelsea on the line ahead of his second coming, as three words prayed on his mind: never go back.

Mourinho could have looked through the history and run a mile when Chelsea made their move again. He would have seen plenty of examples, flashing like warning lights, of managers who fell way short when returning with ambition of recapturing former glories.

No matter how much you think it will be as it was before, things never go to plan. I first realised that when I was a 12-year-old staunch Evertonian and Howard Kendall returned to Goodison Park in 1990.

Howard Kendall struggled on his return to Everton, pictured in a 4-0 defeat at Arsenal in 1998 during his third stint, and a 4-1 loss to Crystal Palace (right) at Wembley

As far as I was concerned, Kendall had the Midas touch. He and Everton were the perfect match. I was adamant those days out at Wembley and the trophies of his first reign would be on the agenda once more. What could go wrong? Plenty, as it turned out.

His second spell fell way short of expectations, while his third, in 1997-98, saw Everton avoid relegation on the final day of the season. He never got near another trophy.

I played under Kenny Dalglish when he had his second attempt at managing Liverpool. He was unfortunate to lose his job, particularly after we won the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final in 2012, but the difficulties we experienced in the Barclays Premier League put things in context.

Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher pictured with Kenny Dalglish after Liverpool's FA Cup final loss

Dalglish was eventually replaced by former Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers at the end of the 2012 season

Many supporters looked at Kenny standing in the dugout and expected to see his team play breath-taking football as Liverpool did in 1987-88. Time moves on and it could never have been as good as it had been before. We finished eighth.

Kenny’s situation, though, was not unique. Take Fabio Capello. An architect of the great AC Milan side that ruled in the early 1990s, where his successes included an astonishing 4-0 win over Barcelona in the 1994 Champions League final, he returned to the San Siro in 1997.

His impact was minimal. Milan lost the Italian Cup final, finished 10th in Serie A and Capello called it the 'worst mistake he had ever made'. Similarly, Louis van Gaal’s return to Barcelona in 2002-03 was awful. He was sacked within five months with the club languishing in 12th place.

Fabio Capello and Marcel Desailly celebrate after AC Milan won their fifth European Cup in some style

Newcastle supporters championed for the return of Kevin Keegan in 2008 after his successful first stint

But Keegan resigned in September 2008 after just eight months back in charge of the club

Louis van Gaal's return to Barcelona in 2002 was a disaster and he was sacked after only five months

The romance, the adulation and memories are a powerful mix. Kevin Keegan hoped he would rekindle it with Newcastle in 2008, Rafa Benitez has wanted to go back to Liverpool ever since he left in 2010. Emotion makes you think there will be no difference second time around.

Reality, however, tells you something different. So while Chelsea appointed the biggest managerial name in the world, there was no guarantee that there would be a sudden transformation in their fortunes.

So what Mourinho has done over the last 18 months is shining example of why he is a serial winner, a demonstration of his talent. Chelsea, it needs pointing out, hadn’t been in a title race since they won it under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010, finishing second, nine points adrift (10-11), sixth (11-12) and third (12-13).

The championship had become the city of Manchester’s property, with Liverpool getting closer than anybody to wrestling it away. The main action at the end of the campaign had been going on without Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho appeared in high spirits during his pre-match Chelsea press conference on Friday

Chelsea are unbeaten in all competitions this season and their last defeat came back in April

We won’t be saying that next May. Manchester City are the only ones who can halt Mourinho’s juggernaut. He went into the season knowing his job would be on the line if he failed to win anything but no other manager can deliver so impressively under such pressure.

Mourinho, of course, has a luxury that some managers don’t. Chelsea are a wealthy club and have the capacity to pay big fees and wages. That was also the case in 2004. But English football has changed in the last decade and Chelsea no longer have the transfer market all their own way.

Their position at the top of the table, however, is not based purely on a chequebook, as the net spends since Mourinho returned of United (£179.9million), City (£113.8m), Arsenal (£86.3m) and Liverpool (£64.4m) show. Chelsea’s net spend in the last three windows, for contrast, is £65.4m.

True, he won’t baulk at paying a big transfer fee but, whenever he does, Mourinho gets it right. Look at Cesc Fabregas, who has fitted in with ease. Nemanja Matic, who Mourinho calls 'a giant', is another, as is Diego Costa. With Costa last season, Chelsea would have been champions.

Cesc Fabregas, in action against Spurs in Chelsea's 3-0 win on Wednesday, has been a revelation this term

Nemanja Matic was brought back in January and Diego Costa a summer arrival from Atletico Madrid

Part of Mourinho’s magic is the ability to get more out of players who are already at the club when he arrives. John Terry, Frank Lampard and Eidur Gudjohnson were the first examples, Cesar Azpilicueta and Eden Hazard providing the evidence this time.

He also has them playing a completely different brand. Who would have expected Mourinho to include players like Hazard, Fabregas and Oscar in the same team? Chelsea are still physically strong but now they move the ball with style and at speed.

What makes this transition even more impressive is that he has been able phase out key figures such as Petr Cech, Lampard and Ashley Cole, with minimal fuss and no disruption to results. It has been so seamless, it is like he has never been away.

Mourinho has constructed a complete team, one that could go through the season unbeaten, and his influence means they are the only English club with a chance of winning the Champions League this year. Given his record in the heavyweight games, it would be a brave man to bet against him.

Top players find fast track to dugout

It was interesting to see Arsene Wenger make the statement that Thierry Henry will certainly return to Arsenal to work in the future.

Brendan Rodgers also said something similar about Steven Gerrard having a role on the coaching staff at Liverpool one day and it left me thinking: is this the only way to keep top players in the game once their playing careers are over? It looks like that is now the reality.

In the past, there would have been an apprenticeship to serve when you started out as a coach. You would work your way up through the lower leagues, as Alex Ferguson did. Now what Wenger and Rodgers are suggesting seems a great way to learn, rather than dropping down.

Thierry Henry has been touted for another return to Arsenal on the coaching staff

After spending his entire playing career with Liverpool, will Steven Gerrard continue as a coach?

I am not being elitist saying that. I used to wonder how I would cope if I started out managing at a lower-league club that I knew nothing about. Who would you buy? Would you have an assistant who knew that level of the game? How long would you get in the job?

That is why this assistant role will be attractive to Henry and Gerrard, as it has been for Ryan Giggs. They would have chance to learn away from the firing line, dealing with good players at a club they know and have instant respect.

But once in the role — or when thinking about the offer — there is a big question, as Wenger highlighted: Are you prepared to sacrifice your life for the job?

The truth is that the wealth in the game means players are not being forced into roles after playing. They can pick and choose.

This week I'm looking forward to: Watching Jagielka and Distin try to stop super Sergio

There is no harder task for a defender in the Barclays Premier League at present than trying to shackle Sergio Aguero.

He is in a run of form like the one Luis Suarez enjoyed last season and he looks like scoring every time he steps on the pitch, so Everton’s defenders will have their work cut out trying to contain the striker of the moment.

Sylvain Distin (centre) looks bemused after Everton concede a costly goal against Hull at Goodison

Sergio Aguero (right) wheels away after scoring against Sunderland during his virtuoso outing on Wearside

Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin have been stalwarts at Goodison Park and shared an excellent partnership for more than five years but, this season, Everton have been conceding more goals than normal and their performances have come under scrutiny.