"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. I know how hard it will be to follow the best manager ever."
– After the announcement that he would slide in to Alex Ferguson's hot seat, so to speak.

"If you win one game folk will think you are good... if you lose one folk will think you are rubbish. You hope there is a little bit of sense and people understand where you are going."
– Patience is a virtue….

"Overall my thought on Wayne is, if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we'll need him."
– Not entirely endearing himself to the Rooney man during United's pre-season tour of Asia and Australia.

"The first thing he said to me was, 'I'm retiring'. I said, 'When?' because he was never retiring, and he said, 'Next week!' His next words were, 'You're the next Manchester United manager'. I didn't get the chance to say yes or no. As you can imagine, the blood drained from my face. I was shocked … but inside I was incredibly thrilled."
– Recalling the day he was summoned to Ferguson's home.

"I will sort it. I will fix it. I will turn it around. I have got no doubt about that."
– Still upbeat, way back in September.

"I have worked with Marouane for five years and I'm delighted he has decided to join Manchester United. He is a player with great ability and strength and I think he will make a real difference to our squad."
– After signing Marouane Fellaini for (OMG !) £27.5m.

"To win the Champions League you have to have five or six world-class players …. we've not got that yet."
– Bigging up his team.

"We would like to pass it better, to create more chances, to defend better."
– Apart from that all was good.

" If you asked me what I needed most, I would have said a central midfielder, I could do with a left-back, but sometimes you don't always get the pieces of the jigsaw at the time."
– On his joy on signing Juan Mata in the January transfer window, while at the same time leaving all Michael Carrick's midfield partners, and Patrice Evra, peeved.

"I don't know what we have to do to win."
– Hint: Score more goals than your opponents. (Speaking after United's 2-1 defeat to Stoke in February ).
"The job was always going to be hard. Is it harder than I thought it would be? Yeah, I would say so."
– Following the 0-3 hiccup against Liverpool.
"I think we've played a very good side and it's the sort of standard and level we need to try and aspire to."
– After losing 3-0 at home to Manchester City. He was just being honest, but one thing you never, ever say as Manchester United gaffer is that you aspire to reach City's level. Ever.

"I actually think if Sir Alex was here this year it would be difficult for him as well, and I'm sure he'd be aware of it."
– By March, he reckoned Fergie would have struggled too.

"We need to end the season on a high. We want to finish by winning all of our games. We'll do everything we possibly can to make that happen."
– After losing to Everton at the weekend. And with that, adieu?