Jose Mourinho declared “United is the past” after speaking for the first time since being sacked.
But the 55-year-old refused to turn on Manchester United as he confirmed his intention to return to football.
“Manchester United have a future without me, I have a future without Manchester United,” he said. “It is game over.”
Mourinho stopped by Sky Sports cameras outside his London home on Wednesday afternoon.
He was sacked during a face-to-face meeting with Ed Woodward 24 hours earlier after United decided to end his two-and-a-half-year Old Trafford reign.
But he resisted the temptation to hit back at his former employers, saying: “I was always critical of managers that come out and leave clubs and talk about things that happened and who is to blame and that’s not me.
“I want it to finish. It happened yesterday.
“I hope you media respect this way of me, the way I react to this kind of situation and until I get back to football I think I have the right to live my normal life like I do now.
“I go for my little walk and I go for my shopping. United is the past.”
Sources close to Mourinho said he was ‘completely surprised’ by the timing of his sacking, despite United sitting 11 points adrift of the Champions League places before Christmas.
United have appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim manager until the end of the season, with Mike Phelan as his assistant.
Woodward will appoint a permanent successor to Mourinho in the summer and is also in the process of recruiting a director of football as he looks to restructure the club.
Mourinho later released a statement, which read: “I have been immensely proud to wear the badge of Manchester United since the first day I arrived, and I believe all United supporters recognise this.
“Just as was the case with my previous clubs, I have worked with some wonderful people and I believe that some will be my friends for life.
“I know that you are all aware of my professional principles. Each time a chapter is closed I show my deepest respect and I don’t make any comments about my former colleagues.
“I hope the media wil also respect my position and let me live my normal life until the moment I decide to return to football.
“Merry Christmas.”
