Jose Mourinho said that he wants to "forget the past three years" that Manchester United have suffered, in his first interview since being appointed as the club's manager.
The former Chelsea boss, who was sacked by the Blues in December after a dreadful start to the Premier League season, added that he always had an "empathy" with Old Trafford.
"I think we can look at our club now in two perspectives," he told Man United's TV channel MUTV. "One perspective is the last three years and another perspective is the club history.
"I think I prefer to forget the past three years, I prefer to focus on the giant club I have in my hands now and I think what the fans are expecting me to say is that I want to win. I think the players need to listen -- I want to win."
Old Trafford has been a special venue for Mourinho since he charged down the touchline after knocking United out of the Champions League, as Porto manager, in 2004.
Despite being in the opposition dugout on so many occasions since then for Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid, the Portuguese admitted feeling an emotional connection with the place.
"I think it's very important and curious that I play so many times against Manchester United and I play so many times at Old Trafford with other clubs," he said. "There was empathy, no problems, and in fact I was pushed by that feeling to say sometimes things that my clubs were not happy with.
"I remember, for example, when I won at Old Trafford with Real Madrid and I said that the best team lost, and not many people were happy at Real Madrid."
That was a comment that Mourinho made in March 2013 when Madrid knocked United out of the Champions League at the round of 16 stage. Soon afterwards, Sir Alex Ferguson departed and David Moyes, rather than Mourinho, took over.
Mourinho, though, feels that this is the right time for him to take the job, with Louis van Gaal having departed on Monday.
He added: "I feel great. I think it comes in the right moment of my career because Man United is one of these clubs where you need really to be prepared for it.
"It is what I call a giant club. And giant clubs must be for the best managers and I think I am ready for it, so I could say I am happy, I am proud, I am honoured."
Looking ahead to his relationship with the United fans, Mourinho said: "I think I know what they can give me. I think they know what I can give them. The most important thing is the relationship with the players but the relationship [with the fans] is important."