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MANCHESTER. — Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho appears to have taken a cheeky dig at Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. Mourinho and Wenger are known to have a strained relationship that has even come close to blows on the touchline over the years.
The Portuguese famously branded the Gunners boss a “specialist in failure” in 2014. And the 53-year-old has wasted no time to have yet another dig at the Frenchman in his official unveiling as United boss.
When asked about the pressures of managing the Red Devils, he assured fans of his title-winning credentials.
And seemed to aim a thinly-veiled jibe at Wenger for having not won the league since the 2003 /04 season.
The new Red Devils boss was axed by Chelsea in December. But the Portuguese defended his record and took aim at Wenger when quizzed about last season.
He said: “There are some managers, the last time they won a title was 10 years ago, the last time I won was a year ago.
“I feel I have to prove — not to the others — to myself. I will never be able to work without success. That’s my nature.
“If I have something to prove, imagine the others! To finish 4th is not the aim.”
Jose has also aimed a dig at Manchester United’s rivals.
The Special One led Chelsea to the title 12 months ago but vowed: “I am manager of the biggest club in the UK.”
Mourinho said the Manchester United job had come at just the right time in his life and he would be targeting legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s two Champions League trophies.
The 53-year-old self anointed “Special One” — who replaced the sacked Louis van Gaal as united boss at the end of last season — was facing the media yesterday for the first time since taking the reins at Old Trafford.
“I don’t hide. I chase Sir Alex’s record in Champions League matches,” said the Portuguese.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto boss added the departure last weekend of United icon Ryan Giggs was because the Welshman hadn’t get the job he wanted — namely his.
Mourinho’s eyes are firmly fixed on re-establishing United as title challengers — after a three year hiatus under first David Moyes and then the autocratic van Gaal — and targeting the Champions League which is off United’s menu next season.
He told the packed Press conference: “The reality is I think it is a job every one wants and not many have a chance to have and I have it.
“I think it (Manchester United) comes at the right time of my career.
“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.”
Mourinho admits he is disappointed not to be in the Champions League.
He said: “I hope it’s only one season.
“We have to make sure this club is where it has to be, which is the Champions League.”
Mourinho has also claimed it’s “not his fault” Giggs left Manchester United.
The Special One finally addressed the media yesterday morning following his much-heralded arrival as boss at Manchester United last month.
Giggs left Manchester United on Saturday, bringing the curtain down on 29 glittering years at Old Trafford.
It is understood the Welshman was disappointed at the decision to renege on a personal promise to him to make him the next manager — and Mourinho appeared to back up that assumption when asked.
“It’s not my responsibility that Ryan is not in the club. The job Ryan wanted is the job the club decided to give me — Ryan wants to be Manchester United manager,” he said.
“It’s not my fault. They decided the job was for me. Ryan decided he wanted to be a manager. I decided myself, 14, 15 or 16 years ago, that I wanted to be a manager.
“He could be what he wanted in the club. The club wanted to give him any job in the club, but he made a decision where you have to be brave.”
“It is not easy. I was in Barcelona in 2000 and had a contract for two more years to be assistant — do you think it was easy for me to leave such a big club and go to a new fight?
“It was not easy and for Ryan it is not going to be easy going from assistant to manager.
“But good luck and if one day he wants to come back to the club while I am here I would never stop him coming back.
“If one day the club offers him the chance to become the manager, I think it will be something natural and a consequence of success in his managerial career.”
Mourinho admits he is proud to have taken on the task of managing a club as big as United.
“The other two times I was arriving back in the country. This time is different. I was sacked by Chelsea and I’ve stayed in the same country with the same faces around me,” he said.
“It’s difficult to describe. It’s difficult to find the right words to describe this club.
“This is not my dream job, this is reality. I am Manchester United manager. This is a job everyone wants.”
And Mourinho knows what the fans of English football’s most successful clubs expect.
“I know the responsibility, I know the expectations, I know the legacy,” he added. “I know what is behind me, I know the history of this club. I know what the fans expect of me.
“This challenge doesn’t make me nervous because of my history over the last 10 years.
“It comes at the right time in my career. I feel stable and have great motivation. I am where I want to be.”
Mourinho has already splashed the cash this summer as he looks to strengthen his squad.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was snapped up on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain.
And Eric Bailly was a £30 million purchase from La Liga outfit Villarreal.
Mourinho asked about how many more signings he wants.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I think the third player is official, right?”
Borussia Dortmund star Henrikh Mkhitaryan is poised to be confirmed as a Manchester United player imminently.
Jose wants four signings but insists he wants to get his business done early.
He said: “We are not making the fourth signing on August 31, no way.”
Looks like it will be a quiet deadline day at Old Trafford then. — The Daily Star.
Online Reporter