Jose Mourinho made a mistake in returning to Chelsea for a second spell in charge, according to Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Portuguese was unveiled as Manchester United manager on Tuesday, nearly seven months after he was sacked by Chelsea following half a season of a miserable Premier League title defence that was, in his own words, 'disastrous'.
But Ferguson, the colossus who won 38 trophies in 26 years as United manager, said that Mourinho was now in the right job and backed him to bring the good times back to Old Trafford.
'I thought Jose was wrong to go back to Chelsea, I really do,' Ferguson told Sky Sports.
'I think it's always difficult going back to somewhere for a second time.
'The ability, charisma and personality, his success is high, won a European Cup twice with different clubs, won a Europa [League] with Porto, winning titles with all the teams he's managed. His record - you can't ignore that.
'I think Manchester United is the right kind of club for him, I really do. I think we'll do well.'
Ferguson's backing is significant for Mourinho, with the 74-year-old Scot still wielding considerable influence at Old Trafford.
He retired from management in 2013 but is now a club ambassador and an important influence behind the scenes.
He is also an old friend of Mourinho's, with the pair forging a close relationship after the Portuguese's famous Champions League triumph over United at Old Trafford in 2004. The pair were known to share a bottle of wine after each time their respective teams faced each other in competition.
Mourinho was keen to set expectations sky-high on his first public appearance as Louis van Gaal’s successor on Tuesday, claiming he refuses to ‘hide behind words or philosophies’.
That phrase appeared to be a pointed remark aimed at his predecessor, who won the FA Cup last season but failed to qualify for the Champions League, the second time in three seasons that United have missed out on joining Europe's elite.
The 53-year-old said he planned to be ‘aggressive’ in pursuit of United’s first Premier League crown since 2013, a sentiment that no doubt would have met with the approval of firebrand Ferguson, who won 13 titles at United.
'It would be easy, even honest and pragmatic, from my side to focus on the last three years and the fact that we didn’t qualify for the Champions League,’ said Mourinho during his press conference.
‘I would never be able to work without success. That is my nature. For many years success was just routine here and the last three years are years to forget. I want the players to forget.
‘I don’t want the players to think we have to do better. What is better? To finish fourth? To finish fourth is not the aim. I want everything. I want to play matches well, score goals, play young players and I don’t want to concede goals.’
But Ferguson, the colossus who won 38 trophies in 26 years as United manager, said that Mourinho was now in the right job and backed him to bring the good times back to Old Trafford.
'I thought Jose was wrong to go back to Chelsea, I really do,' Ferguson told Sky Sports.
'I think it's always difficult going back to somewhere for a second time.
'The ability, charisma and personality, his success is high, won a European Cup twice with different clubs, won a Europa [League] with Porto, winning titles with all the teams he's managed. His record - you can't ignore that.
'I think Manchester United is the right kind of club for him, I really do. I think we'll do well.'
Ferguson's backing is significant for Mourinho, with the 74-year-old Scot still wielding considerable influence at Old Trafford.
He retired from management in 2013 but is now a club ambassador and an important influence behind the scenes.
He is also an old friend of Mourinho's, with the pair forging a close relationship after the Portuguese's famous Champions League triumph over United at Old Trafford in 2004. The pair were known to share a bottle of wine after each time their respective teams faced each other in competition.
Mourinho was keen to set expectations sky-high on his first public appearance as Louis van Gaal’s successor on Tuesday, claiming he refuses to ‘hide behind words or philosophies’.
That phrase appeared to be a pointed remark aimed at his predecessor, who won the FA Cup last season but failed to qualify for the Champions League, the second time in three seasons that United have missed out on joining Europe's elite.
The 53-year-old said he planned to be ‘aggressive’ in pursuit of United’s first Premier League crown since 2013, a sentiment that no doubt would have met with the approval of firebrand Ferguson, who won 13 titles at United.
'It would be easy, even honest and pragmatic, from my side to focus on the last three years and the fact that we didn’t qualify for the Champions League,’ said Mourinho during his press conference.
‘I would never be able to work without success. That is my nature. For many years success was just routine here and the last three years are years to forget. I want the players to forget.
‘I don’t want the players to think we have to do better. What is better? To finish fourth? To finish fourth is not the aim. I want everything. I want to play matches well, score goals, play young players and I don’t want to concede goals.’
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