MUHAMMAD ALI, THE UNDISPUTED master of psychological warfare, said that his pre-bout taunts (he famously described Sonny Liston as an “ugly bear”, Floyd Patterson as “the rabbit”, Joe Frazier as “the gorilla” and George Foreman as “the mummy”) were all about getting an opponent to try too hard. “ If you can make an opponent mad, he cannot fight properly,” he said.

Some Barclays Premiership managers have demonstrated an Ali-like genius for rattling their opposite numbers. Sir Alex Ferguson, for example, famously skewered Kevin Keegan in 1996 when he claimed that teams tried harder against Manchester United than Keegan’s Newcastle United. Keegan lost his rag and Newcastle blew the title having led by 14 points. Last season, José Mourinho enraged Arsène Wenger by referring to the Frenchman’s alleged voyeuristic tendencies.

It is almost certain that verbal sparring between managers will again create back-page headlines in the coming season. The various protagonists will test each other out with gentle teasing, misinformation and the occasional insult. But successful club management is about more than psychological warfare. To survive and flourish, a Premiership manager must combine tactical awareness with the ruthless application of leadership techniques.

Leadership is multi-dimensional, and the development of new leaders has traditionally focused upon copying the skills of those with a proven track record. We might, for example, teach the football leaders of tomorrow the motivational strategies of Ferguson or the self-certainties of Mourinho. The problem, however, is that adopting the skills of others is like taking a copy of a copy, and the results are often pale imitations of the original.

Contemporary research into the psychology of leadership suggests that in focusing upon the specific skills that individual leaders possess, which vary from leader to leader, we might be missing the underlying similarities. The key attribute shared by all great leaders is congruence. Successful leaders resonate resolve, their whole persona — both mind and body — singing the same tune and pointing in the same direction. Fully aligned to their purpose, these leaders are magnetised like a compass needle pointing towards their destination, compelling others to follow.

Congruence is not a skill but is based upon high levels of self-awareness. A leader needs to be aware of his own values and beliefs and to act in accordance with these. When there is a conflict between a leader’s actions and his values, he can appear hesitant, self-conscious and indecisive.

Mourinho’s recent comments and actions towards William Gallas show the importance that he places upon the values of “family” and “respect”. These values are vital when dealing with a group of top players. Giving them a sense that they are contributing to something bigger than the self is essential.

Rafael Benítez’s actions in recent seasons demonstrate the onus he places upon integrity and professionalism. Making sure that these are essential to everything that Liverpool does has created a machine-like team similar to that moulded by Benítez at Valencia. This approach breeds a mentality of “team” over “self” and will be vital if Liverpool are to break Chelsea’s stranglehold on the Premiership.

Listening to Ferguson talk about the forthcoming season and observing his recent decisions, values such as “hunger” and “duty” appear to take precedence. Focusing upon values such as these requires brutal decision-making, something that the Scotsman revels in.

For each manager in the Premiership, staying true to their values over the coming season will be central to their campaigns. In the pressured environment of the top flight, leaders have to take the knocks and endure the taunts while holding firm to their core beliefs.

While the styles and skills of the managers may vary, these need to be based upon unshakable principles. A willingness consistently to act in line with these values is vital if a team are going to be led to Premiership victory.

• Pete Lindsay is a chartered psychologist at Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Sport and Exercise Science.

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