London: Jose Mourinho boasted that giant clubs needed the best managers as he took over at Manchester United on Friday.
Mourinho said he wanted to bury the past three years at Old Trafford, which saw David Moyes and then his own mentor Louis van Gaal struggle to emulate the title-studded success achieved by legendary manager Alex Ferguson.
“I feel great,” Mourinho said in an interview filmed in London on Thursday and aired Friday on the club’s television channel.
“It comes in the right moment in my career because Manchester United is one of these clubs where you need really to be prepared for it because it is what I used to call a giant club.
“Giant clubs must be for the best managers and I think I’m ready for it.”
United officially appointed the former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Porto and Inter Milan boss on Friday after three days of contract negotiations.
He will earn a bumper salary reportedly worth more than $20 million (Dh107.5 million) a year.
The 53-year-old Portuguese said he wanted to forget the lean years under Moyes and Van Gaal and think about the club’s illustrious history.
The Red Devils have won 20 English league titles, 12 FA Cups, three European Cup/Champions League titles and the World Club Cup.
“We can look at our club now into two perspectives: one perspective is the past three years and another perspective is the club history,” he said.
“I think I prefer to forget the past three years. I think I prefer to focus on the giant club I have in my hands now.”
Mourinho said his aim of winning top trophies at Old Trafford was realistic and pledged he would give everything he had to achieve it.
“What the players need to listen is: I want to win,” he said.
“I need the supporters and the players to feel I say that, but I think we can - really.”
He said he would “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”.
Mourinho said an “empathy” had built up between him and the club’s fans over the years in which he brought opposing teams to Old Trafford.
“I think I know what they can give me. I think also they know what I can give them,” he said.
“I’m happy, I’m proud, I’m honoured, I’m everything.”
“Jose is quite simply the best manager in the game today,” said United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
“He has won trophies and inspired players in countries across Europe and, of course, he knows the Premier League very well, having won three titles here.”
Mourinho has won league titles and cups in four countries with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. He won the Champions League for a second time with Inter in 2010.
Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea in December after a disastrous start to the season that saw the defending champions hovering near the relegation zone amid acrimony between the manager and his players and staff.
Before the new season begins, Mourinho will have to face the fall-out from his second spell at Stamford Bridge.
Former Blues doctor Eva Carneiro is claiming constructive dismissal in a case against Chelsea and has a separate personal legal action against Mourinho for alleged victimisation and discrimination.
The employment tribunal, which could take seven to 10 days, will be heard in public between June 6 and 24 unless a settlement is reached first.
A Red Devils’ statement on Mourinho’s appointment did not mention the future of club stalwart Ryan Giggs, who has spent nearly three decades at Old Trafford as a player and then a coach.
The 42-year-old was Van Gaal’s deputy and had been seen as a potential successor to the Dutchman but was overlooked in favour of Mourinho.
The Portuguese is expected to take his long-term backroom staff with him to Old Trafford.
Mourinho a ‘wounded animal’
Mourinho will hope to make significant improvements to an unbalanced and often lacklustre United squad before the new season begins in August.
Media reports said he will have a £200 million fund to bring in fresh faces, with former Paris Saint-Germain forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Everton defender John Stones reportedly on his wish list.
The new season could become a battle royale between Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, the incoming boss of bitter rivals Manchester City.
When Mourinho was in charge of Real Madrid and Guardiola running their sworn enemy Barcelona, the Portuguese relished taking a swipe at the Spaniard.
However, Mourinho won just three of their 16 meetings.
City finished last season in fourth place ahead of fifth-placed United on goal difference, keeping the Red Devils from qualifying for the lucrative Champions League.
The failure to join Europe’s elite next season ultimately cost Van Gaal his job, despite winning the FA Cup in his last game in charge.
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand said Mourinho needed to instil a winning mentality back into the club.
“This is Jose Mourinho’s most exciting and most challenging job yet,” the former England captain said.
After Chelsea, “this winner is now a wounded animal which makes him such a mouthwatering appointment.
“Mourinho’s huge personality is made for this great club.”
