Jose Mourinho wants to change his image at Man Utd

Mourinho plans to soften his image to become a mature leader at Man Utd

Jose Mourinho wants to change his image after landing his dream job at Manchester United by setting up a long-running dynasty at Old Trafford.

Mourinho’s reputation as a manager who offers a quick fix solution to top clubs eager to get back to winning ways was one of the reasons why there was some opposition to his appointment at United.

Yet Mourinho is keen to shed that tag, with insiders suggesting he has spoken about laying down foundations at United that could see him remain at the club well beyond his three-year contract.

United have confirmed that they have an option to extend his current contract that expires in 2019 for another year, with Mourinho hoping to end his days as a globe trotting manager, after two spells with Chelsea were interlaced with successful stints in charge of FC Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

Mourinho is expected to outline his plans for a long stay at United when he meets the media for the first time as the club’s new manager, with these words that he uttered following his second coming at Chelsea likely to be repeated.

“What was the big word we spoke about when I sat down to talk through plans with the Chelsea people – it was stability, stability,” stated Mourinho in the summer of 2013. “I think the owner and board, what they now want very, very much is stability.

“This is good for the development of a club like Chelsea. Good for young players coming through to have the same structure for many years, good for the senior players to have a relationship with a manager for a long time. Good for everybody.

“What is success? I am not worried about that, not worried with that. I am worried about high quality work in every area I can interfere, in every area I can influence. I think that is a good definition of success.

 “If we work well together with a good plan moving forward, success comes naturally. You don’t need to chase it, to be obsessed by it as success will come. We are all in the same dimension. Everyone accepts the way we are going and now we are all moving in the same direction.

“We look at the model of Alex Ferguson at Man Utd. He stays for many years and while it may not be possible to stay for so long at one club again, that is what I want in my career now.”

Mourinho now gets his chance to follow in Ferguson’s footsteps and he has made it clear to United officials that he will look to embrace the club’s younger players, with Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw among the rising stars who will be under his command after he succeeded Louis van Gaal last month.

We can also expect to see a lot more evidence of Mourinho embracing Manchester United's rich history, with his appearance alongside Bobby Charlton at the club's training ground a few days ago the start of a PR drive to highlight his reverence of the club's traditions.

Mourinho's eagerness to appoint a former United legend to a key role in his back room staff - as revealed by the Sunday World last April - is another attempt to soften his image as a maverick manager who does things his own way.

If Ryan Giggs makes his United exit in a bid to forge his own management career, expect former greats like Rio Ferdinand (below) or Gary Neville to be in the mix for a coaching position under Mourinho at United.

So it seems as if we may be about to see a rebranded Mourinho when he dons his Manchester United blaze, yet it remains to be seen whether this firebrand character has what it takes to mould himself into a fresh guise as he looks to build a career-defining empire at Old Trafford