GAZ NEV MAKES THE NEW BOYS FEEL AT HOME

Last updated : 31 August 2003 By Editor

"This is a massive step for them and I can only imagine what an incredible thing it is for them. I was brought up at United and lived locally but to leave home at 18 and come to a new country and not to know the language is a hard, daunting task.

"They have to be made to feel they are happy here. They have to be made to see they are coming into a happy and smiling dressing room every day. When someone like Cristiano Ronaldo does a trick to beat you in training you congratulate him and encourage him.

"We all want United to have the best players and the best young players. So when you see them do something special you say to yourself you are glad they are in your side and you know you have to make sure they are content.

"You can't always be pussy-footing around them, of course. You have to be strong with them as well. This is Manchester United and it is not just a walk in the park. They have to work but they know that and they do work hard. They've had to show that to get here. They have been successful in their own way in order to make it to Old Trafford in the first place.

"As much as we may have sparked the experienced players eight years ago we would never have won the title in '96, for example, without them."

"They were so strong for us. They guided us through and now we hope we can provide the same strength for the new younger players and guide them.

"They are part of us now. We need them and they need us. These are really good players and you can see their quality in training and matches and you say to yourself these lads are going to win us games and you help them.

"Brucie used to talk to us a lot. Bryan Robson and Denis Irwin always used to have little words of encouragement in our ears and made sure we were okay and we knew where we were going."