I have a future without Manchester United – Mourinho moving on from Old Trafford exit

Jose Mourinho said he still has “a future without Manchester United” and refrained from criticising the club following his sacking.

The Portuguese’s two-and-a-half-year stint at Old Trafford was ended on Tuesday when he departed with the club 19 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and 11 adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Mourinho spoke for the first time publicly on Wednesday – shortly after United had confirmed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as his replacement on an interim basis – and the 55-year-old stressed he was ready to move on.

“I don’t change,” he told Sky Sports News.

“What I did when I left Chelsea for example is the same that I’m going to do now.

“I keep the good things and I don’t speak about anything that happened in the club. We could speak about so many good things, we could speak about not as good, but that’s not me.

“It’s finished. Manchester United has a future without me and I have a future without Manchester United.”

Mourinho was not afraid to criticise his own players during his tenure, while others believe United’s board should take some responsibility for the club’s current struggles.

However, Mourinho opted not to take aim at anyone still at Old Trafford.

“Why should I now be sharing with you or even with the supporters any of my feelings? It’s over,” he added.

“That’s me. That’s the way I have always been.

“I was always very critical of managers that leave clubs and then they come out and speak about details of what happened and who is to blame for this kind of situation.

“That’s not me. I just want to finish like it happened yesterday. I like to say, ‘It’s game over’.

“I hope just you media respect this way of myself to react to this kind of situation. Until I get back to football, I think I have the right to live my normal life like I’m going to do now.

“I go shopping, for my little walk, that’s what I want to do. Manchester United is [the] past.”