Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United will be aiming for "further up than fourth" in the Premier League next season.
The 46-year-old was appointed caretaker manager on 19 December following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho.
He won 14 out of 19 games before being given the job permanently on 28 March.
After that Manchester United only won two games out of 10 and finished sixth in the league, missing out on qualification for the Champions League.
They are currently in Perth, where they will play their second pre-season game against old rivals Leeds United at the Optus Stadium on Wednesday (12:00 BST).
Speaking to BBC Sport, Solskjaer gave his thoughts on a range of topics, including Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba and his target for the Premier League next season.
Manchester United finished sixth last season, is the top four good enough this season?
We have to aim for further up than fourth. I would rather be an optimist and be wrong than a pessimist and be right. I am not used to us being fifth or sixth but that is where we are at. That is the size of the challenge. I love that challenge. We have to work with the players, sign the right types and gradually make our way to the challenging line. Our players do have quality. They do have a chance. We just need consistency. We have to keep working every single day and not take our eyes off the target. Everyone gets off line at some point but you can't let it drift too far because then you won't get to the overall goal.
What did you say to the players at the start of pre-season?
We talked about what is required, the standards we have to live up to every single day. The little margins that get you wins. The little tactical tweaks. The first couple of weeks have been encouraging. Of course, you always expect people to come in for the first couple of weeks with fresh energy and focus. We have been pushing the limits. They have not moaned - maybe that is a bad thing. Maybe we have not worked them enough. But I think we have worked enough so we are fitter and more robust when the season starts. The more sessions you miss out on, the further behind you get.
Did you talk about standards off the pitch as well? In particular social media?
That is what you sign up for at this club. You are always under the spotlight. I am a big believer in self-discipline and discipline within the group. I would never have made it as a footballer if I didn't have that discipline and made the most out of my talent.
Is Paul Pogba key to getting this side back to where the club feels it belongs?
Paul is a fantastic player and a fantastic human being. He has always been a great professional. When I was at Molde, I said, 'if he's in your squad, you'd build a team around him'. I would say the same now. Manchester United fans know their football. We know Paul has been criticised by a few but he's loved by loads more. You know, it's the best feeling you can have to be at this club when we're successful. The ones that might want to leave now haven't been here when it's been successful. Hopefully they want to be part of that. I want to be part of it.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49009358
Ole presser/interview
posted on 17/7/19
comment by #TopLad || Sir Alex Ferguson ||✓ (U10161)
posted 8 minutes ago
We can;t rebuild the squad in one summer. Also buying big in the past clearly has not worked for us. A slow, methodical way of signing players is needed. Whilst I agree we need 2/3 more players this summer, we also need to shift a lot of players.
This will be a 3/4 year rebuild, which I am not against at all. Nothing wrong with starting again. It took Klopp 3/4 years to rebuild Liverpool to his standards.
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It’s about buying the right players, of the right age, attitude and profile, and giving the squad time to develop.
We can’t be lurching from one direction to another all the time and trying desperately to shoehorn supposed galácticos into the wrong roles in a disjointed side just because they become available.
posted on 17/7/19
comment by #TopLad || Sir Alex Ferguson ||✓ (U10161)
posted 32 minutes ago
We can;t rebuild the squad in one summer. Also buying big in the past clearly has not worked for us. A slow, methodical way of signing players is needed. Whilst I agree we need 2/3 more players this summer, we also need to shift a lot of players.
This will be a 3/4 year rebuild, which I am not against at all. Nothing wrong with starting again. It took Klopp 3/4 years to rebuild Liverpool to his standards.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If it took Klopp that long, how long will it take Ole?
posted on 17/7/19
comment by rosso is facking happy (U17054)
posted 55 minutes ago
comment by #TopLad || Sir Alex Ferguson ||✓ (U10161)
posted 8 minutes ago
We can;t rebuild the squad in one summer. Also buying big in the past clearly has not worked for us. A slow, methodical way of signing players is needed. Whilst I agree we need 2/3 more players this summer, we also need to shift a lot of players.
This will be a 3/4 year rebuild, which I am not against at all. Nothing wrong with starting again. It took Klopp 3/4 years to rebuild Liverpool to his standards.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It’s about buying the right players, of the right age, attitude and profile, and giving the squad time to develop.
We can’t be lurching from one direction to another all the time and trying desperately to shoehorn supposed galácticos into the wrong roles in a disjointed side just because they become available.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly that, we need to find players that fit into the system, whichever system Ole has in mind.
posted on 17/7/19
If it took Klopp that long, how long will it take Ole?
____
Time will tell, won't it? I think arguably Liverpool were a bigger rebuilding job than United are currently.
posted on 17/7/19
comment by #TopLad || Sir Alex Ferguson ||✓ (U10161)
posted 1 hour, 10 minutes ago
We can;t rebuild the squad in one summer. Also buying big in the past clearly has not worked for us. A slow, methodical way of signing players is needed. Whilst I agree we need 2/3 more players this summer, we also need to shift a lot of players.
This will be a 3/4 year rebuild, which I am not against at all. Nothing wrong with starting again. It took Klopp 3/4 years to rebuild Liverpool to his standards.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thing is, we don't have Klopp.
I'm hopeful Ole can do a job and still be here in 5 years, but I'm not confident.
posted on 17/7/19
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 9 minutes ago
comment by #TopLad || Sir Alex Ferguson ||✓ (U10161)
posted 1 hour, 10 minutes ago
We can;t rebuild the squad in one summer. Also buying big in the past clearly has not worked for us. A slow, methodical way of signing players is needed. Whilst I agree we need 2/3 more players this summer, we also need to shift a lot of players.
This will be a 3/4 year rebuild, which I am not against at all. Nothing wrong with starting again. It took Klopp 3/4 years to rebuild Liverpool to his standards.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thing is, we don't have Klopp.
I'm hopeful Ole can do a job and still be here in 5 years, but I'm not confident.
-----------------------
As I have said previously, it might be that Ole is here for a few seasons overseeing the rebuilding of the squad, bringing in the right players, without actually having any success in terms of trophies. Perhaps he doesn't have what it takes to win trophies at this level? Time will tell. But he may leave United in 2-3 years having failed to win any trophies, but having succeeded in rebuilding the squad to a good level for the next manager.
posted on 17/7/19
This comment confirms what some of us have said in recent weeks. We need to shift a few players to get some in.
................
Manchester United's transfer strategy - are you the man who decides?
"There won't be any players here I don't want. No. We are still looking at one or two options but it depends on outgoings. It might be more because if suddenly two or three go, then you have to replace players."
posted on 17/7/19
We moaned last year when Jose was negative about his squad so we can't really moan now when Ole is being positive about them. I'm certain he wants to sell some of them but he isn't going to be disrespectful in public to them either IMO. He also knows he may have to use them at some point if they're still here.
I'm confident we'll be selling some players as well. Just need a bit of patience I think.
posted on 17/7/19
Diafol
I said a few weeks ago that player sales don't usually happen for us right until the end of the window.
Not sure if that gives us any time to get players in.
posted on 17/7/19
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 8 minutes ago
Diafol
I said a few weeks ago that player sales don't usually happen for us right until the end of the window.
Not sure if that gives us any time to get players in.
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I'm hoping getting players in = players going out. Perhaps some deals have been more or less concluded but we don't want to announce them until we've sold some players so that we can maximise the fees we get.
I don't know really but I won't judge the success/failure of the window until it has shut. Many people seem to think it should all be done by now but recent experience should teach us that transfers are seemingly getting more complicated with all the different parties involved.