Cape Town - Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho believes that bigger things lie ahead as his first season at Old Trafford draws to a close.
The former Chelsea boss will do well to end the campaign in the top four of the Premier League, but he knows that more is expected of the Red Devils under his guidance.
"It doesn't matter what happens in terms of titles we win or don't win," he told Sky Sports. "I always feel that the season is very important for me, the players and the club.
"I would say this can be the first season of the next five or six or seven. It can be the first season of better years.
"And the reality is even in the first season of better years we won already and we have already the chance to do good things until the end of the season."
While United are just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City in the Premier League standings ahead of their derby match on Thursday, they are also preparing to face Celta Vigo in the Europa League semi-finals in May.
"If we manage to win the Europa League and in August to play the European Super Cup against the Champions League winner, it will be magnificent," Mourinho added.
Meanwhile the Portuguese tactician claimed that his stinging criticism of several Manchester United stars is common sense if they are not giving 100 percent.
Mourinho turned his guns on a number of players in his first season at Old Trafford, with England left-back Luke Shaw and French forward Anthony Martial suffering recent blasts from the United manager.
Some pundits feel Mourinho has gone too far with his public approach to chastising players.
But asked if that was a calculated risk, Mourinho told Sky Sports on Tuesday: "I don't care. I don't even think about it.