Mourinho back for long haul

On the day Jose Mourinho rebranded himself as “the happy one”, he also stated he wants a new “identity” for Chelsea.

The returning Stamford Bridge manager feels that long-term stability — for both himself and the club — is now essential.

While deflecting questions about the Manchester United job and Pep Guardiola, and the perception that both Chelsea and Mourinho ended up with their second choices, the Portuguese man insisted he and the club are finally united in terms of their long-term approach.

“You need stability for identity, and I think identity becomes more important in football.

“With Financial Fair Play, and Chelsea wants to go in that direction, you also need stability. You cannot change manager and philosophy every few years. For me, as a manager, it’s something I want to experience. It’s a different situation, but it’s something I want to live. I haven’t changed my nature, and I won’t accept development without trying to win. Ever.

“It’s more difficult to keep trying to win and trying to be successful, while at the same time developing young players while giving an identity to the team. But it’s something I want at this stage of my career. Titles I have. Money I have. I need challenges. It’s about changing the club. I think so. And the club thinks so too.”

As for whether Mourinho himself has changed?

“I’m [still] very confident but, at the same time, I’m more stable, more mature. If I was a proud guy because of what I did before that, now I’ve done more: I’ve been at Inter, [Real] Madrid, won titles. But it’s a different moment of my career. I have more grey hair. I have these!”

At that point, Mourinho pulled out a pair of reading glass and cracked the first of a few smiles. The Chelsea boss seemed much happier and relaxed in the newspaper conference than the more restrained broadcast unveiling, offering each journalist a handshake as they entered.

In the room beside, much of his entourage — from agent Jorge Mendes to coach Rui Faria — were sitting and chatting. The image given off was of a man settling back home. Specific words used, however, seemed to describe the particular type of personality Manchester United were looking for after Alex Ferguson’s retirement. When asked why they and Manchester City went for new managers that had never won a major trophy, Mourinho resisted the opportunity for any attacks.

“I don’t know. They’ve made good decisions. David [Moyes] proved himself at Everton. Okay, no trophies, but it’s not easy to get a trophy when you manage Everton and he was not far from doing that. Good experience, good work.

“I feel very happy for him. Man United will give him the time to adapt to a new dimension. He’s never played a Champions League match so people can’t expect him to be a fish in water in that first match. Give him time, stability. United is perfect for that, so that’s a very good choice.”

As for Abramovich’s apparent first choice of Guardiola? “I didn’t ask him. I don’t know and I don’t care. Really, Roman never asked if I had contact with other clubs so I never asked him.

“As I said before, I am where I want to be. You tell me now every job in the football world at this table, I would choose my job. I have the job I want to have.”

What that job now entails is the next question. Mourinho said that there are unlikely to be “big changes” because the club has the right building blocks in place. He also stated John Terry will continue as club captain, and he will properly speak to Fernando Torres and Juan Mata when they return from Confederations Cup duty with Spain. However, Mourinho pointed to Romelu Lukaku and all the young loaned-out players as the future of the club.

“These ‘kids’ — and I say that respectfully — have big potential and space for improvement. They’ve not reached their best level yet. The stability the owner and I can give them is related to work. In the methods, the coaching philosophy, in my leadership, in everything that can help them improve. Mix them with those who are over 30, we’ll keep a balance and try to go on.

“Imagine if you bring back Lukaku, [Kevin] De Bruyne and perhaps [Tomas] Kalas, who is at Vitesse [Arnhem]. Bring three guys back, that’s zero [spent] because the investment was made before. We want to go in this direction. The one or two we may buy are complements because the structure and philosophy is this one. I’m more than happy to do that and to help these young guys grow up.”

As Mourinho spoke of developing a team for long-term success, he also seemed like a man that had grown up too. At least for the moment.