I always said to the directors that the minute a player becomes more powerful than the manager of Manchester United, it's not Manchester United. You have lost control of the whole club. So I always made sure that I was in control. They always knew who the manager was.
With a club like Manchester United that have history and traditions, I think the manager at the club should respect that.
Manchester United is a world-famous club, and yet if you say, 'Manchester United,' then immediately you think of Sir Alex Ferguson. To have achieved so much and have so much importance at such a big club is extremely rare.
I have felt part of this club when I have travelled all around the world and been recognised as a Manchester United player. And when you're a Manchester United player you will forever be a Manchester United player.
There are millions of Manchester United fans everywhere in the world. A lot of them live by the club. They need to be inspired by the manager.
It's a great honour to be asked to be the next manager of Manchester United. I am delighted that Sir Alex saw fit to recommend me for the job. I have great respect for everything he has done and for the football club.
Benfica against Manchester United is very special for me. Benfica is my real club but Manchester United is my English club. We are together in history.
Manchester is obviously is a huge footballing city with Manchester City and Manchester United there - and I really like this accent because my agent is also from Manchester and my girlfriend's family is from Manchester.
I always say the biggest opponent for Manchester United is Manchester United. Every year I play for this club, I will say the same.
Any manager of any big institution, which is what Manchester United is, internationally, you have a role and a responsibility to give out the correct messages.
I think any player who joins Manchester United wants to win everything; I want to win every competition that Manchester United compete in.
Every manager dreams of managing Manchester United.
Now let me say that Matt Busby was a great manager and Manchester United wouldn't be where they are without him. He was a god at the club, but he wasn't a god to me. Football is like that sometimes.
Manchester United isn't about Wayne Rooney. Manchester United is about the team, the club.
I understand there are so many managers who would love to be manager of Manchester United, and I am one of them.
You will never see United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the media taking problems he has or the squad has or the club has into the open. Never, ever. But you do see that at Manchester City.