Jose Mourinho says he is targeting the Premier
League title with Manchester United this season.
Mourinho takes charge of a United side that has
not won the league since Sir Alex Ferguson's
retirement in 2013, with Louis van Gaal's fourth-
place finish in 2014-15 their best since.
However, after reinvigorating the squad with the
arrivals of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan
and Eric Bailly -- and with Paul Pogba potentially
following -- he is optimistic that United are ready
to challenge once more.
"I want to be champion," Mourinho said in The
Sun on Sunday. "To say before the season starts
that the top four is the target? The top four is not
the target. We want to play to be champions.
"If during the season we realise the points
difference doesn't allow us to fight for the title, we
are going to establish a new title, and when you
can't be champion the next target is to finish top
four.
"But day one, I don't want to hide behind a bad
season or no Champions League football to say
we want to finish top four."
He said United's executive vice-chairman, Ed
Woodward, had not set specific targets on where
the team should finish.
"There was no ultimatum," he added in The
Sunday Times. "The message from the owners
and Mr Woodward was: get your three years, do
your work, improve the team and bring us back
where we belong during a three-year period.
"My message was that I wanted to win the title in
the first season."
However, United finished fifth under Van Gaal last
season, which means they will take part in the
Europa League group stage in Mourinho's debut
campaign.
The former Real Madrid and Chelsea boss said
playing on Thursday nights will have an impact
on their Premier League campaign and said: "You
need to rotate players."
He added: "[It] is very, very difficult for the
Premier League. We play on the Thursday, you
travel a lot. Then the Premier League doesn't
make any favours.
"You play Thursday and then I don't think they
are going to play us Monday, they are going to
play us Sunday, probably at 12 o'clock. For the
Premier League it is the worst. It is much easier
to be a Champions League team than that.
"Obviously it is much easier to be what Liverpool
were two years ago, no Champions League and
what Chelsea are next season with no Champions
League.
"One complete week to work every week -- that is
a dream, that is a dream for a manager who
wants to improve his team.
"So we are in the worst possible situation, but in
this moment I want my players to think: 'Every
day I want to be champion and want to fight for
the title.'"
Posted Africa News Sports
Chapisha Maoni