Carlo Ancelotti says the key to Zinedine Zidane's success at Real Madrid is his relationship with the players, telling ESPN FC that his predecessor Rafa Benitez struggled even though he "probably has more experience and more knowledge of the game."
Zidane, who worked as Ancelotti's assistant during Madrid's Champions League-winning 2013-14 campaign, was appointed head coach in January last year after Benitez was sacked after less than seven months in charge.
Zidane's only managerial experience prior to taking the job was an underwhelming stint with Madrid's Castilla reserve team in the third division, but the former France international led the club to the Champions League title last May and his side are currently top of La Liga.
Asked if that meant anyone could manage Madrid, Ancelotti told ESPN FC's Gab Marcotti: "No, not everybody can manage Real Madrid. The key to success I think is the relationship with the players. The knowledge of football is secondary, as is the experience.
"I mean, sure, Zidane had not managed in the top-flight, but he played for a long time, he had worked as an assistant, he had managed Castilla, he knows the game, he knows the tactical aspects, he knows the club.
"The key question I think was the relationship with the players, as I said, and the ability to work with them on the training pitch. I mean structuring a training session in such a way that you get your message across and the players are happy and receptive.
"There's a teaching/coaching element there that not everybody who knows or understands football has. If none of my coaching staff showed up to training tomorrow and I simply told the players go ahead and structure a week's worth of training sessions, they couldn't do it. Or, at least, they couldn't do it well.
"As for the relationships, you need charisma, you need respect, you need personality. Zidane has all that and he proved it as a player, as a leader but also in the time he spent as my assistant."
Benitez, who had various coaching roles at Madrid earlier in his career, failed despite an impressive managerial history at clubs including Valencia and Liverpool.
Ancelotti said: "Look, a guy like Rafa Benitez probably has more experience and more knowledge of the game but maybe he wasn't able, in the short time he was there, to build the kind of relationships that are necessary. And Zidane, in that respect, had an edge, because he'd been at the club, he'd coached many of the players, heck, he'd even played with some of them.
"So, yes, I value experience and knowledge, but they are not the most important thing. The most important thing is being able to talk to the players and teach them and work with them, and you can only do that if they respect you and listen to you.
"You don't need to give an inspirational monologue every time. Sometimes you don't even need to talk much. Zidane doesn't talk much, though I'm sure it's still a lot more than he talked before, but the thing is, when he does speak, people listen. He commands respect. And he builds on that."
Jose Mourinho was also reported to have had a poor relationship with many players by the time he left Madrid, and he had complained shortly after his Madrid exit in 2013 that Cristiano Ronaldo had refused to listen to his tactical advice.
Ancelotti, though, said it can be "very difficult" to give technical direction to established professionals.
"Maybe you can do it with a youngster, but at this level it's hard, especially with veterans," he said. "First of all, they're exceptional technically so there aren't that many faults to iron out, but also they've been through a lot to get where they are and you can upset things."
He gave the example of Danish striker Jon Dahl Tomasson, who played under Ancelotti at AC Milan between 2002 and 2005.
"He'd only ever side-foot the ball when shooting," he said. "He wasn't a bad finisher, but obviously when you side-foot it, you're not going to get the same power as you do when you put your laces through it, so I tried to get him to change his body shape and try finishing with power.
"We worked on it a lot but his finishing didn't improve. In fact, it got worse, so we left it. Sometimes, when you're fully formed as a player, your technique won't change, and that's fine."
However, he said that "part of the skill of a top manager is understanding the qualities and characteristics of each player and being able to give that advice that helps them improve technically as well."
He also said motivation had not been an issue for him when working with players at the highest level.
"There's a hunger and a desire in guys like Xabi Alonso and Pepe, to name but two, that means they are never satisfied, they never settle, they always want more."
He said Ronaldo is "the ultimate example" of that kind of hunger, adding: "His belly is never full. People had told me he was like this before I went to Real Madrid, but until you actually work with him every day, you don't realise to what degree he takes it. He is hugely professional and he works as hard anybody out there. From recovery to diet, he takes care of every detail, ensuring everything is optimal.
"When I compare it to my playing days, there is no comparison -- players today are far more professional -- but he takes it to another level."