Napoli, McTominay: Title changes nothing, we keep working! On De Bruyne… | OneFootball

Napoli, McTominay: «The scudetto changes nothing, we must work! On De Bruyne…»

Scott McTominay, Napoli midfielder, gave a long interview to the daily newspaper "Il Mattino".

«The below-par performances against Arezzo, Catanzaro, Brest? For us, the pre-season we are experiencing is really important. We give our all every day to create new connections that will serve us during the season we will play. It's not always easy to take to the field in these friendlies that are played in preparation. But when we start the season, obviously, there will be no excuses. That's why we are building something solid physically and mentally that can help us.

The first thing Conte told us when we met again? I'll be honest, it's not so much what he says, but what he does. He was immediately clear with us. Winning the scudetto has changed nothing, we must find and maintain the same attitude and mentality we had last year. Just because we won the championship, we mustn't stop, relax, or rest on our laurels. Every game, every appointment, the level will be high. And we will have to be up to it.

If this year's claim is "let's work hard...again", what's my claim for the season? I'll borrow the manager's and make it my own: "Let's work hard...always".

Was I surprised by De Bruyne's arrival? Absolutely not. Because I was aware of how strong Napoli is, of the ambitions the club has.

Napoli love at first sight? My whole family has experienced the city to the fullest, taking every opportunity to get to know everything there is to know. And when conditions allowed, we also experienced the people, the fans in the city.

Scudetto celebrations? They loved seeing the city in celebration, we shared moments that will stay with us forever. Those are the moments a footballer imagines at the start of a season.

Do I know I've become an idol for the Neapolitans? I never thought I could become one, in my life. Despite everything, in my perception of things, I remain a normal guy, a person who grew up in a fantastic family made up of people who have always worked hard in their lives. This has been important for me. But I've understood this year how visceral the Neapolitans' love is. I respect the way they relate to us and the team. For me, it's essential to do my best every time for the people of this city: they showed us incredible support throughout the last season and must continue to do so in the next one as well.

Carlo Gioia

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.