Jose Mourinho's book offers insightful view on his incredible success at each club

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Jose Mourinho unveiled his new book at Waterstones in Piccadilly
The Chelsea manager offers an insight into his successful career
The book is enjoyable but offers few surprises and can be frustrating
Most rewarding section of pictures are the ones that open the book as they are less familiar than his days with Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid

Published: 19:10 EST, 15 October 2015 | Updated: 07:32 EST, 16 October 2015

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For someone so quick to give his view, Jose Mourinho comes across as a man of few words in his new book. The Chelsea boss provides brief captions to a huge range of glossy photos taken throughout his almost unmatched managerial career.

By the nature of the format, the reader is left with a mixed bag. Only occasionally do we get a glimpse of insight behind Mourinho’s successes, and these are surrounded by perfunctory soundbites on another trophy celebration.

Possibly because they’re less instantly familiar, the most rewarding section of pictures are the ones that open the book. Mourinho’s rarely-told history at Benfica, Uniao de Leiria and early days at Porto is remembered with warmth alongside colourful shots of the then-fledgling coach.

Jose Mourinho released his new autobiography at an event at Waterstones Piccadilly on Thursday

The Chelsea manager signed copies of his new book at the launch on Thursday in London

Those pictures leave the reader wishing the book went further back. Surely, a few of the platitudes that accompany Chelsea and Real Madrid images could have been sacrificed for musings and pictures of Mourinho and Bobby Robson at Barcelona, or of his little-known playing career?

And while any autobiography carries bias, we really get the pre-watershed version of Mourinho’s career. While all the captions are brief, it would have been fascinating to get a take on the events that led to the Portuguese’s departure from the Bernabeu or his rows with officials at Chelsea. These lesser moments are airbrushed out.

Despite this, it is still a book to be flicked through in awe. Trophy after trophy, success after success, at each club. The story of each season – very few of them without titles – is told with a selection of beaming smiles from players, Mourinho’s growing and replica shirt-changing son and the man himself.

The love Mourinho has for his teams at their most successful comes through on many occasions even in only a few words. It is easy to forget, for example, the esteem in which Mourinho regards his time at Inter Milan.

Mourinho launched his new book which reflects on his stunning achievements during his career

The Chelsea boss talks to the assembled press at his book launch, where he attacked his fine from the FA

Mourinho, who has been given a suspended one-match stadium ban, greets a fan at his book launch in London

There are a few surprises, like pictures of Mourinho with Diego Maradona and Sir Alex Ferguson with accompanying tributes, but any real behind-the-scenes stuff is mainly restricted to images Mourinho and family at various clubs.

This is frustrating – with a more eclectic mix of pictures over a wider period and some beefier insight, this could be so much better.

As it is, it’s an enjoyable book to flick through to stoke up memories of the most successful manager of his generation. Mourinho’s thoughts on each picture vary from the emotional and insightful to the mundane.

Anyone writing off the current Chelsea manager would be well served by grabbing a copy – it makes that view look faintly ridiculous.