Here's what new Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho had to say at his first press conference and it was as juicy as ever with tasty soundbytes, pointed comments and digs at some rivals
The self anointed 'special one', Jose Mourinho, who replaced the sacked Louis van Gaal as Manchester United boss at the end of last season faced the media on Tuesday for the first time since taking the reins at Old Trafford.
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The 53-year-old Portuguese, who had earlier coached Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto was as candid as ever at the press briefing at Theatre of Dreams.
Our new boss at the Theatre of Dreams... #mufc pic.twitter.com/vMZykH8jdS
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 5, 2016
Here are some of his best quotes:
On the troubled end to his second Chelsea spell:
I was in trouble for the last five months: the first month (at Chelsea) was fine, the second month was not so good and after the second month it was a disaster.
Taking dig at his rivals, notably Arsene Wenger:
There are some managers that the last time they won a title was 10 years ago. Some of them the last time they won a title was never. The last time I won a title was one year ago, not 10 years ago or 15 years ago so if I have a lot to prove, imagine the others.
On playing in Champions League this season:
I feel a bit frustrated I am not playing Champions League. I don't hide I chase Sir Alex's (Ferguson) record in the Champions for matches as a manager. Hopefully it is only one season I am not there.
On Manchester United icon Ryan Giggs quitting:
The job that Ryan wanted is the club that the club decided to give me. It is not my fault. Ryan wanted to be Manchester United manager and the club decided that the job was for me. From this moment Ryan wants to be a manager like in 2000 when I decided I wanted to be a manager. There arrives a moment when you make a decision and Ryan made this decision. He could be what he wanted in the club, but he made a decision where you need to be brave. If one day he wants to come back to the club while I am here I would never stop him.
On the other teams:
I am the manager of the biggest club in the country, so I don't have to look at the others too much. We have to focus on us.
On his strategy at Old Trafford:
I was always much more aggressive in my approach with the risks that can bring and it would be easy to focus on the last three years and say 'Let's work and try and be back in the Champions League' but I prefer to be more aggressive and say we want to win.
On his youth record:
I have promoted 49 youth players from Academies. If you want, I can give you that list. Two factors that are very important on these records, because sometimes you promote because you don’t have another chance or so many injuries, you have to bring them in. The second factor is when you are not playing for big targets then it is easier to bring them up. My record of injuries is very, very low. I never promote players because of a need – I do it because of conviction.
On his rivalry with Pep Guardiola:
To speak about one manager, one club and I don’t like the word, but one enemy, is not right. One thing is that you are in a competition like I was in Spain when it is a two horse race. In Italy it was three teams. But in the Premier League it doesn’t make sense at all. If you focus on one team or one opponent then the other ones will be laughing so I won’t be a part of it. I am Manchester United manager with respect for all the other clubs in the country.
On the landing the job:
It is not a dream job, it is reality as Manchester United manager but it is a job everyone wants and not many have a chance to have and I have it and I know obviously the responsibility, expectation and at the same time I know the legacy and what is behind me and the history of this club and what the fans expect from me... This challenge obviously doesn't make me nervous as my history in the last 10 years was always to live with big clubs' expectations and I think it comes at the right time in my career.
On what was Sir Alex's advice for him
He said bring the umbrella! Yesterday I couldn’t believe it was raining at the training ground so it was great advice. The second advice was to bring my typical bottle of wine because now we are going to have many occasions to be together. He is at the Euros so I cannot see him this week but when his summer holidays are finished we will have lots of time to meet each other. He is always welcome to the training ground and we will have time to share a lot of our personal stuff.
His transfer plans:
We made a nucleus of four priorities, four positions, to give a certain balance to the squad and a push of quality. As you know, especially the ones with more vision, I likes specialists and not so much the multi-functional players. I am very specific with my approach, so I need specialists for that... We decided four targets and until we have the fourth we will continue to work hard.
On his style of play:
Playing well is scoring more goals than the opponent, conceding less goals and making your fans proud by giving everything. We want everything at the same time; I want to win matches, I want to play well, I want to score goals, to not concede, for the fans to be behind us. If in the last 10 minutes we are chasing a result I want the fans behind us and if we are defending a result I want the fans behind us. We are not going to get everything, of course, but we want to.
His first question --
He was asked "Jose was the Special One, and the Happy One, so what is he now?"
I don’t know. The other two times I was arriving at the country, this is a different one. I was sacked by Chelsea and then I stayed in the same country, the same country, with the same faces. This is nothing new. It is difficult for me to find the right words for this club. I don’t like the demonination that this is the dream job. This is reality, I am United manager. The reality is this is the job that everyone wants.
On whether he has to prove himself:
There are some managers that last won a title 13 years ago. Some managers have never won a title. The last time I won a title was one year ago. If I have a lot to prove, then imagine the others! That was never important for me; I play against myself. I don't have to prove anything to anyone apart from myself, that is my nature.
On his aim at the club:
Manchester United for many years success was just routine and in this moment the last three years are to forget. I want the players to forget. I don't want the players to think we have to do better and finish fourth. Finishing fourth is not the aim.
On whether he will seek Sir Alex's help:
He (Sir Alex Ferguson) will always be welcome to the training ground. His opinion is important to me, the same way so many legends love this club. I will try and learn from them.
On where he will play Wayne Rooney
Jose Mourinho says Wayne Rooney's best position is up front... #mufc https://t.co/QSbZqLvq0y
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 5, 2016
There are many jobs and the one that is more difficult to find is the guy that puts the ball in the net. Players change during the years, their qualities and characteristics. It is normal that a player of his age changes, but something that will never change is the natural appetite to put the ball in the net. Maybe he is not a striker anymore, or a nine, but he will never be a six playing 50 metres from the goal. He will be a nine, a 10, a nine and a half, but not a six or eight.
The quotes above have been paraphrased in places and should not be treated as verbatim.
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