Ryan Giggs admitted it was strange for Manchester United to count claiming a UEFA Champions League spot as a successful aspect of their season.
United assistant Giggs said the relief at the club securing a return to the European top tier after missing out on a place in the tournament for the first time since 1995-96 was an unfamiliar feeling.
The Old Trafford outfit made a habit of being among the continent's elite throughout Giggs' long United career, which saw him appear in the red shirt 151 times in the Champions League for 30 goals.
Giggs said he is hoping their return to Europe will stimulate their penchant for winning titles.
"I've enjoyed it on a personal level but it feels a bit strange when you've been at this club for such a long time during such a successful period to be celebrating a Champions League spot," Giggs told MUTV at United's season awards night on Tuesday.
"But, if we're honest, that's what we set out to achieve at the beginning of the season and going from seventh to getting in a Champions League place is great.
"But next year we want to kick on and be competing for trophies."
Giggs said United had the quality to match Premier League champions Chelsea, but were lacking consistency.
"Chelsea are the best team this year without a shadow of a doubt," he said.
"The pleasing thing for us has been that in the big games we've proved that we've got the quality.
"We just perhaps not had the consistency, that's been the difference.
"We've dropped silly points and to win the Premier League you can't afford to do that. Every game is a battle whether it be home or away.
"We've proved that we've got the quality, but next season we need to get that consistency and be there or thereabouts at the turn of the year.
"You've seen in the past that this club is a juggernaut once you get that momentum and are winning games and when we do that we're very hard to stop. So that's what we want to achieve starting from the first game next season."
