Jose Mourinho’s criticism almost made Joe Cole leave Chelsea but the player stayed and was pushed by The Special One to become a better player.

The scorching gusts of Sir Alex Ferguson’s hairdryer hardly need to be rechronicled here and even Arsène Wenger, apparently Monsieur Serene, admits: “I go over the top because I'm passionate... though I give the impression of being patient, I get pent up.”

Rafael Benitez’s relationship with players; just read Jamie Carragher’s new autobiography; can safely be described as “complex”. Even while on the way to glory with Valencia, Benitez fell out with his squad when arguments spiralled after he banned full-fat ice-cream from the club canteen.

“Goodness” is an English word Gianfranco Zola often uses. It is appropriate because, upon his appointment as West Ham manager, one question seemed more pertinent than those to do with the Italian’s Chelsea connection or regarding his limited experience as a coach. Both those concerns will evaporate quickly if he has quick success.

But seeing Zola at his unveiling, as twinkling and effervescent as soda made from phosphorus, you were left wondering, in the longer term, whether a man so sparkling could really make the dugout his habitat. Is it not too black a place? Does not Zola have simply too much goodness to be a man-ager? It is easy to imagine him inspiring West Ham’s young players with his joy, less easy to see the Italian imposing himself on the Craig Bellamys and Lucas Neills of this world.

It is moot point whether nice guys ever come first as managers. There is one boss of whom you often hear stories about being disliked by players: he is one of the best and longest-serving in the Premier League. Zola picked Gianluca Vialli and Claudio Ranieri as examples of coaches who have influenced him, and both were seen as lovable figures but too soft-edged to win the biggest prizes.

Yet the first one Zola mentioned was Arrigo Sacchi, an authoritarian who revolutionised the Italian game through his singular vision. “If it’s going to be necessary to become a little bit nasty, I’ll be nasty, that’s not a problem at all. Trust me, I can be nasty if I want,” Zola said. “I’m willing to do everything I need to do to make this a job well done.”

He undermined himself somewhat by smiling and saying, “I can’t remember, actually” when called to describe the last time he was “nasty” although he did add: “I’ve got three children and I can be a hard dad – ask them.” It is plain he’d prefer his mean streak to remain theoretical.

Demonstrating meanness was not significant in the repertoire of the most successful ever English coach, Bob Paisley, after all. “To have authority over people, to have their respect, you don’t have to be shouting at them all the time. As long as you prove to them that what you’re doing is for the goodness of the team, or for the goodness of them, I’m sure they’ll understand that and respect you,” Zola said.

In his only prior coaching job, assisting Pierluigi Casiraghi with Italy Under21s, “fortunately it [being nasty] wasn’t necessary. I’m sure it won’t be necessary here. The players will enjoy what we’re doing and I’m sure that we’ll deal in the right way with every situation.”

The “we”, at the time when Zola spoke on Thursday, included himself, Antonio Pintas, a fitness coach who has worked with Chelsea and Juventus, and Kevin Keen, who was on the Upton Park coaching staff under Alan Pardew and Alan Cur-bishley. Steve Clarke is expected to join Zola’s backroom team as his No 2, although West Ham have still to be given permission to speak to Clarke by Chelsea, who rejected his resignation on Friday.

Clarke may provide some of the sergeant-major qualities which seem lacking in the new No 1, though those who know him well suspect that Zola will be able to show ruthlessness when required to do so. “Being a nice guy doesn’t mean that he lacks a steely side,” said the London correspondent for Gazzetta dello Sport, Giancarlo Galavotti. “Zola is Sardinian, a tough island race, from a place where people have never had it easy. He’ll defend his position. If you tread on his toes repeatedly, the fact that he’s nice to everybody does not mean he will sheepishly shy away.”