The 2016/17 Premier League fixtures are released on Wednesday, 15 June. It feels written in the stars that Mourinho’s first top-flight match in charge of Manchester United will be against Chelsea. And obviously on Sky, as part of Super-duper-wham-bam-blow-the-door-off-Sunday.

Mourinho’s first top-flight match in charge of Chelsea was, of course, against United, and looking back at the footage of the 1-0 home win at Stamford Bridge what stands out most is just how big his tie-knot was. You could’ve housed a family of mice in that thing

A good omen for United supporters:

Modern football

We’ve yet to hear from Old Trafford grandee, Sir Bobby Charlton. His views on Mourinho’s arrival will be interesting, partly because of his standing not just at United but in football generally, but also because of what he said to the Guardian’s Jamie Jackson about the possibility of Mourinho taking over at the club, in 2012.

Speaking specifically about Mourinho’s gouging of the eye of then Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova, Sir Bobby said:

“A United manager wouldn’t do that. Mourinho is a really good coach but that’s as far as I would go really. He’s the manager of Real Madrid and we expect to play them in the Champions League by the end of the season.”

When put to Sir Bobby by Jamie that Mourinho would not be allowed to get away with his type of behaviour at Old Trafford, the World Cup-winner added:

“You are right. He pontificates too much for my liking. He’s a good manager, though.”

Jamie then put it to Sir Bobby that Sir Alex Ferguson admires Mourinho, the reply to which had the deadly thud of a Charlton half-volley:

“He doesn’t like him too much, though.”

An interesting meeting at Carrington awaits.

Mention of Ibrahimovic gives me an excuse to post a link to my all-time favourite Youtube clip, simply entited: “I Am Zlatan”. Enjoy

Going by that MUTV interview, it’s possible Mourinho will go for one of:

“The Proud One”

“The Honoured One”

“The Giant One”

We’re all thinking “Giant”, arn’t we?

Mourinho on MUTV:

Here is the meat of the interview. Enjoy:

I feel great. Well, I think I am in the right moment in my career because Man United is one of these clubs where you need really to be prepared for it because it is what I used to a call giant club. And giant clubs must be for the best managers and I think I am ready for it, so I could say I am happy, I am proud, I am honoured, I am everything. But the reality is that what I love is to work and I cannot wait for the 7th of July to go on the pitch.

I think we can look at our club now in two perspectives. One perspective is the past three years and another perspective is the club history. I think I prefer to forget the past three years, I prefer to focus on the giant club I have in my hands now. I think what the fans are expecting me to say is that I want to win. I think what the players they need to listen [to] is I want to win. And more than that, I need the players and supporters to feel that I say that, but I think we can really. It’s not just to say what I say. So, yes, I want to focus on the history of this giant club and give what I have and what I don’t have, so I will give absolutely everything to try and go in the direction we all want.

You know, I think I know what they can give me. I think also they know what I can give them. Obviously the most important thing are the players and the relation of the players is the bridge with them, but I think it is very important and curious that I have played so many times against Man United and I played so many times at Old Trafford with other clubs. There was empathy, no problems and, in fact, I was pushed by that feeling to say sometimes things that my clubs were not happy with. I remember, for example, when I won at Old Trafford with Real Madrid, I told that the best team lost. Not many people was happy at Real Madrid.

What shall we call the Manchester derby next season?

And the winner is ... Andy Jowett:

“Mega Mour vs Guardisaurus”

What shall we call the Manchester derby next season?

Bravo, Vaz Frigerio:

“PepJoBismal”

What shall we call the Manchester derby next season?

Ben Paul has been in touch:

“On that point from Chris Cox about El Clasico. Barcelona v Real Madrid is a derby. A derby is any game between two teams that have a keen rivalry. The Manchester derby is a local derby, being a keen rivalry between two teams in close proximity to each other. Both games are most definitely derbies though”.

Interesting....

While I try to get more from this Mourinho-MUTV interview, here is Jonathan Wilson’s take on the appointment. Another fine read from a very fine writer.

In case you’re wondering, I’m struggling to get any more updates on Mourinho’s interview with MUTV. Perhaps it’s finished...

A better, less-shaky view of Costinha’s goal (including Mourinho gallop)

Mourinho on MUTV:

There was empathy [at Old Trafford] I was pushed by that to say things my clubs weren’t happy with like best team lost when I won with Real ...

Mourinho on MUTV:

I prefer to forget the last three years & focus on this giant club. I want to win ...

Mourinho on MUTV:

“Man Utd is one of these clubs you need to be prepared for. It’s a giant club which must be for the best managers. I feel ready ...

MUTV are broadcasting their interview with Mourinho. Sadly I don’t have access to the mother of all in-house TV channels so cannot bring you live coverage of what the new manager has to say. But I’ll aim to bring you updates as soon as possible.

I was trying to find footage of Mourinho’s famous sprint-down-the-touchline at Old Trafford following Costinha’s goal for Porto against Manchester United in 2004 and came across this :

Can you make out Mourinho? Me neither.

What shall we call the Manchester derby next season?

I think we have a winner, and his name is Darren Winter:

“Picture the scene:
It’s the 37th match of the season.
The two Manchester teams are neck and neck.
It’s a 4:05pm Sunday kick-off on Sky.
And the term they’re using to describe it is:
GUARMOURGEDDON!”

What shall we call the Manchester derby next season?

Chris Cox isn’t playing ball:

“We could always call it THE MANCHESTER DERBY. The Spanish call Real v Atlético THE MADRID DERBY. Barca v Real only has a name because it isn’t a Derby”.

Fair enough.

Our man in Manchester, Jamie Jackson, has an update on Mourinho’s transfer plans now he is charge at Old Trafford:

José Mourinho wants to make Chelsea’s Willian one of his first signings and is also intent on landing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and it would constitute a major surprise if the Swede does not join United as a free agent.

Mourinho signed Willian for Chelsea in August 2013 for a fee of around £30m, and if he is to prise the 27-year-old from Stamford Bridge would cost at least £50m, the player having two years left on his contract.

The Brazilian is open to the transfer and Mourinho discussed his signing with Woodward earlier in the week in London, ahead of finalising his own terms as United manager. Willian could expect to command a base rate of at least £120,000-a-week at Old Trafford. He was one of the few success at Chelsea last term in the west London club’s dire title defence.

Ibrahimovic is a free agent so there is no transfer fee and would expect to command a salary of around £220,000 a-week. On Thursday the 34-year-old said he had already decided where to play next. It is understood this is United so each party expects Ibrahimovic to play for the club next season.

What shall we call the Manchester derby next season?

Matt Hewson has upped the ante with this one:

“El Cashico surely”

Sean Doyle has been in touch via email and made this point: “Utd missed a trick by not covering Jose in blue paint to promote the new X Men film”.

In case you have no idea what Sean is going about, this is a child mascot ahead of Manchester United’s final match of the season, against Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Football. Bloody hell.

Thanks to Matthew Pearson for his contribution to the ‘what shall we call the Manchester derby next season?’ debate:

El MANICO

Good, but I reckon you lot can do better.

José is back in London looking suitably pleased

However strong your aversion to hype may be, Pep v José is undeniably a fascinating battle-to-come next season. This by Sid Lowe explains why, poked-eyes ‘n’ all.

Can anyone do better?

The Press Association have kindly put together some numbers outlining Mourinho’s managerial career:

6 Number of different clubs managed by the Portuguese, starting with Benfica in 2000. There have since been stints at Uniao de Leiria, Porto, Chelsea (two spells), Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
513 League games managed at his six different clubs.
32 Honours won, including two Champions Leagues, three Premier League titles, two Serie A crowns, one La Liga success and two Portuguese league wins.
5 Other trophies won during his time in English football with Chelsea - three League Cups, one FA Cup, one Community Shield.
87 Points earned by Mourinho’s Chelsea side during ther last title winning-season in 2014-15. Seven months later he was sacked.
9 Defeats suffered by Chelsea in their first 16 Premier League matches of last season, prompting his dismissal.
1 Has suffered just a single loss to Manchester United in the Premier League.

There have been lots of words written in the past week on Mourinho’s taking over at United, but few finer than this from Barney Ronay at the weekend. “Darth Vader has entered the Death Star”.

No comment

So what will Jose dub himself at that first press conference?

Works for me.

Another former United pro has expressed his delight with Mourinho’s arrival at Olf Trafford

The graphics wizards at Guardian HQ have put together this club-by-club guide to José Mourinho’s career so far

More on that first press conference:

In other news...

You can follow live over-by-over coverage of the first day of England’s second Test against Sri Lanka in Durham here

Rio Ferdinand is the first of Manchester United’s former-pros-turned-pundits to express his satisifaction with Mourinho’s arrival to Old Trafford. Rio’s even managed to track him down, it appears.

Speaking of Chelsea, somebody may want to grab a ladder, get down to Stamford Bridge and whip this away as soon as possible:

When Mourinho took over at Chelsea in 2004 he declared himself to be the “Special One”.

When Mourinho took over at Chelsea in 2013 he declares himself to be the “Happy One”.

What will he call himself at United? Well we may find out around noon when MUTV put out an interview with the 53-year-old. His first press conference won’t take place until July.