Neville Excited By New Era

Club legend and ambassador Gary Neville speaks to ManUtd.com about United's future under David Moyes and how next season will be a big test for a lot of clubs in the Barclays Premier League…

Is this going to be one of the biggest pre-seasons we’ve known for a while because of Sir Alex's departure?
I think it will be a huge pre-season for the Premier League. A number of clubs will be wanting to start strongly. Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal… and Spurs will want to do everything they can to hold onto Bale and push forward themselves. So I think we will have one of the most interesting pre-seasons we’ve ever had and probably the most interesting start to a season that we’ll have ever had; there will be new managers at three of the top clubs (United, City, Chelsea) as a minimum.

Will there be extra motivation for our players to impress during pre-season because they are playing for a new manager?
Absolutely. They should see it as a new challenge and an important challenge. I know from speaking to other people in football that since Sir Alex announced his retirement other clubs have already been lifted by the fact he is no longer around. The players should see that as a slight on them and say ‘hang on, do you think we can’t go out on that pitch and perform without our manager?’ That is a challenge in itself and ultimately the players and David Moyes will need to respond to that. It won’t be a bed of roses – there will be ups and downs as there always is and there has been over the last 26 or so years. There will be pressure moments in the coming season when people will say ‘oh, it’s not the same.’ But it’s too easy to say that. Everybody is waiting to see how this post-Sir Alex Ferguson era is going to work. The club have had it before with Sir Matt but everyone here will stick together through it all and the fans will do the same.

Has the current squad been given the credit it deserves for winning the league?
When you’re at Manchester United and you’ve had a manager who has built four great teams – ’94, ’99, 2008 and you can now argue this one that has won the league - people are always going to compare teams and look back; I do it myself sometimes. The most important thing to say about this team is it’s on an upward curve. You’ve got players like De Gea, Rafael, Evans, Smalling, Jones, Cleverley, Welbeck and Hernandez to name eight players who are still young and haven’t reached anywhere near their peak. You’ve also got a mix of players in the middle who are at their peak, then you’ve got the experienced lads at the other end. This team has still not reached its potential. I’m sure there will be additions to the squad this summer so you’re talking about a team on the up. I think Chelsea are going the same way. They’re going to be a big danger next season. I think City have got some manipulating of their squad to do – there will be some toing and froing there. I think United are in a good place. Do they get the credit they deserve? You only get that by repeating success – it’s about winning, winning and winning again.

Sir Alex said at his final press conference that it was always the plan to have the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Schoes and Nicky Butt as part of the coaching structure – how important will their experience and influence be going forward?
You can’t fail when you have people who love the football club and who are knowledgeable, intelligent and passionate about the game. And those three characters are all of the above. I’ve watched a lot of football, particularly in the last two years since I finished playing and listened to a lot of people at different clubs and they’re always searching for good types of people to be involved. Ones they can trust and who love and care for a club and that is what you have with Ryan, Paul and Nicky, all of whom have been around the place for so long.

Have you ever been more excited for the start of a new season?
No! There was an incredible end to this season with all the retirements and Sir Alex in particular retiring. But in some ways it wasn’t the most exciting Premier League season we’ve had with United winning the league with four games left. The season before was ridiculous in terms of excitement because of what happened on the last day – you’ll never see anything like that ever again. But I think the quality was just a little bit below that this season, not at United but just generally throughout the league. The German league, as an example, is that little step above us at the moment. We will get back there though. It’s going to be a big summer and a big season - we’ll see players grow and top players will be added to various squads. When you look at the existing squads that the top four or five clubs have and the fact that two or three additions will come into each I think we’ll be talking about them being some of the best teams in Europe again next season. I’m excited because there is a lot more uncertainty about what’s going to happen next season than there ever has been before - next season is going to be a huge challenge for every club in their own way.