Jose Mourinho begins Roma reign and defends record at Manchester United and Spurs

Portuguese vows to bring success to Serie A club and insists his time in England was no 'disaster'

New Roma manager Jose Mourinho greets supporters.

Supporters wait for the arrival of new Roma manager Jose Mourinho.

Supporters wait for the arrival of new Roma coach Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho greets Roma supporters.

New Roma coach Jose Mourinho greets supporters.

Supporters wait for the arrival of new Roma coach Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho arrives in Italy to take up his position as Roma coach.

Roma fans wait outside Rome's Ciampino airport for the arrival of Jose Mourinho.

Roma fans wait outside Rome's Ciampino airport for the arrival of the new coach Jose Mourinho.

Roma new head coach Jose Mourinho salutes fans waiting outside Rome's Ciampino airport.

Jose Mourinho arrives in Italy to take up his position as Roma coach.

Fans gather for the arrival of Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho arrives in Italy to take up his position as Roma coach.

Roma fans wait for the arrival of new coach Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho arrives in Italy.

Jose Mourinho began his reign at Roma by insisting he will deliver trophies to the Serie A club and defended his record at previous clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

The Portuguese manager is back in the Italian top-flight for the first time since leading Inter Milan to a remarkable Champions League, Serie A title and Italian Cup treble in 2010.

But Mourinho, 58, will have a point to prove after being sacked from his previous two jobs at English Premier League sides United and Spurs.

“You talk of the title and we talk of time, a project, work. Titles are words, easy promises. Titles will come,” Mourinho said at his official unveiling on Thursday.

“We talk about the project and about improving. The owners don’t want an isolated success, they want to get there and stay there, which is more difficult.

“It’s easy to win and have no money to pay salaries, but we want to be sustainable and the club and I share the same view.”

Mourinho was also bullish about his record in England. “In my last three clubs, I won the title at Chelsea, three cups at United, and I reached a [League Cup] final at Tottenham, where we arrived sixth starting from 12th, reaching the Europa League. What’s considered a disaster for me it’s something that others have never achieved, it’s my fault,” he said.

“I won three trophies at Manchester United and that was seen as a disaster. I reached a cup final which I was not allowed to play at Tottenham, and that was seen as a disaster too. What’s a disaster for me is considered a great success for others.”

Roma, whose last major honour was an Italian Cup in 2008, have pinned their faith on Mourinho on restoring the club to distant former glories. They have lifted the Scudetto or league crown only twice in the postwar era — in 1983 and 2001, the latter triumph under Fabio Capello.

Mourinho is the 10th man to take the reins at the underachieving club in a decade stretching back to Claudio Ranieri, who had a two-year spell in charge from 2009.

He replaces another Portuguese in Paulo Fonseca who guided the club to a seventh-place finish in Serie A last season.