Mourinho 'proud' of Manchester United career

Jose Mourinho said on Wednesday he is

"immensely proud" of his time at Manchester United but refused to

delve into the issues that played a part in his Old Trafford exit.

Club bosses sacked the Portuguese

manager on Tuesday following a 3-1 defeat at Anfield that left the 20-times

champions an embarrassing 19 points behind league leaders Liverpool after just

17 matches.

Former United striker Ole Gunnar

Solskjaer was announced as Mourinho's temporary replacement on Wednesday as the

club begins its search for a permanent replacement.

Mourinho lifted the Europa League,

League Cup and Community Shield in his first year at the club before finishing

runners-up in both the league and FA Cup, but things have unravelled since the

start of his third campaign at the helm.

The United boss has made his

frustrations about players and some of the club's decisions clear over recent

months but kept his feelings on such matters to himself in a statement released

the day after his sacking.

"I have been immensely proud to

wear the badge of Manchester United since the first day I arrived, and I

believe all United supporters recognise this," Mourinho said in a

statement released to Britain's Press Association.

"Just as was the case with my

previous clubs, I have worked with some wonderful people and I believe that

some will be my friends for life.

"I know that you are all aware of

my professional principles. Each time a chapter is closed I show my deepest

respect and I don't make any comments about my former colleagues."

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and

Inter Milan boss told Sky Sports News he has a future beyond United.

"Manchester United has a future

without me and I have a future without Manchester United, so why should I now

be sharing with you or even with the supporters, any of my feelings?

"It's over. That's me and that's

the way I've always been and I was always very critical of managers that leave

clubs and then they come out and they 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, it happened yesterday and I'd like to say it's game over."