“The problem is that sometimes you get into clubs where the work that is below you is not good enough to produce these players, so I look to our history and you see that the academy is always giving the talents that the first team need. Of course, I look forward to [working] with that profile.

“To play against Tottenham at White Hart Lane was always hard but beautiful. It was one of these places where I used to go with passion but also with respect. I always [spoke] about the club’s potential. I always [spoke] about the qualities of the players. I always [spoke about] the magnificent work the club was doing.”

“When you say, ‘beautiful stadium’, you are too humble. You have to say, ‘best stadium in the world’. I think that is the reality. The training ground is second to none. It probably can only be compared with some American Football training grounds. You cannot compare with European football at any level – and I’ve been in the majority of the best places.

“It’s impossible to compare anything [to] the stadium. I think it’s something that has to make us all very, very proud. But not just that, the conditions you have to work in are absolutely amazing.”

“In relation to the Premier League, I think we know where we are, and we know that we don’t belong there. We should just play match after match, the next match we want to win and that’s the same about the next, and the next and the next until the last.

“At the end of last season we will see where we are, but I know that we are going to be in a different position than we are now. I look forward to the challenge, to the responsibility [of bringing] happiness to everyone that loves the club.”

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