As the summertime rainclouds reflect off the roof of Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho will be salivating at the sight of a perfect storm.

Since his entry into football 36 years ago, Mourinho has always had a point to prove.

Starting with Rio Ave as an average player at best, he made just 16 appearances.

With Felix Mourinho the coach, it is a scenario many can relate to. The weight of expectation to follow in the footsteps of his evergreen father, to emulate exactly what had already been done.

He moved onto Belenenses, but had the same issue – local lad who simply wasn’t his dad. Mourinho Snr. had played 131 times for the club. He was assistant there before he hung his boots up, and became manager eight years later.

Jose racked up just 16 caps again for the Lisbon club, and begrudgingly moved on.

Drill into the very depths of Mourinho and you find indignation. An umbrage that only his Portuguese pout can truly do justice. Football is his sport, he has proven that on a managerial level that few can boast bettering before him.

But his maltreatment on the road to success still seems to be the premier incentive for continuing it.

He was mocked as “el traductor” at the beginning by Barcelona. Never a true coach to be considered one of the elite, after his misgivings as a player led to an unorthodox route to the dugout.

But such is the uniqueness of his footballing journey, that it has produced a cocktail of bitterness and stubbornness few other managers have experienced. Many in football are left with such emotions, but few have the intellect to put them to useful practice.
Out of this injustice stems an uglier side to Mourinho. One that leaves such distaste in the mouths of so many.

None more so than Pep Guardiola, who saw his delight at overhauling the established as vulgar and unpalatable.

Boasting 11 years as a player at Barcelona, Guardiola can be seen as the polar opposite to Mourinho. Universally adored at the Camp Nou, as opposed to the glorified linguist plying his trade at Madrid.

Bring Arsene Wenger into the equation and that perfect storm starts to provocatively darken.

The Frenchman is famed for disliking the former Chelsea man for all the reasons listed above. His arrogance, his lack of grace, and total disrespect shown to a legend of a game.

Mourinho’s other passion, has always been ruffling feathers after all.

Mauricio Pocchettino is the new kid on the block and, arguably, the largest threat to Mourinho’s domination.The Argentinian’s tactics rival Mourinho’s and his dressing room demeanour eclipses him. It is also well known that he was on the United radar before prolonging his stay in North London.

The final manager in the top four is Claudio Ranieri. The champion. And unquestionably the glistening jewel in the Premier League crown.

When Mourinho was appointed at Stamford Bridge as the self-proclaimed ‘special one’ back in 2004, Ranieri was the casualty. Unceremoniously booted out the back door, not dissimilarly to Louis Van Gaal, in terms of media scrutiny.

‘The Tinkerman’ was proven, and what he lacked in tactical mastery he more than made up for in charm and grace. But he was shouldered out the way for Mourinho by oligarch Roman Abramovich, considered the more glitzy and desirable man.

The Portuguese manager had done what he had set out to do. Become the go-to man in football management, the most respected name in the game.

Mourinho will take over Manchester United with the club having finished fifth in the Premier League.

Once again, he is the underdog. Like he was at Porto when they conquered Europe, like he was again at Inter when they sealed an unprecedented treble. His Chelsea team were the same, in so much that they had not been England’s top team since 1955.

Between Mourinho and glory stand four men.

Wenger. The old enemy, past his sell-by-date in the eyes of the United pretender, and certainly not his biggest fan.

Guardiola. The golden child of the Camp Nou, his alter ego in so many an El Clasico.

Pocchetino. The hot property of the Premier League, revered for his social grace and humility. The two blotches on Mourino’s CV when it comes to employability.

And finally, Ranieri. The ugly duckling who became a swan. The media’s new superstar, and the ultimate over-achiever.

As Manchester United hand over the keys to Old Trafford, there will be hoards of sceptics scrutinising their new man’s every move. But little do they realise, they have set him up to outdo the one group of peers he wishes to defeat the most.

His perfect storm is forecast.