Scott McTominay toasted his first goal for Napoli and showed exactly where his loyalties lie after his Manchester United exit.
The Scotland international has already become a big hit with the club’s fans and endeared himself further by netting Napoli’s fifth in their 5-0 Coppa Italia win over Palermo on Thursday.
GettyScott McTominay opened his account for Napoli on Thursday night[/caption]
McTominay had been on the pitch for just 30 seconds by the time he had fired home from Romelu Lukaku’s cross.
The former Manchester United teammates celebrated with a warm embrace as Napoli ran rampant on the Sicilians.
McTominay then turned to the club’s supporters and kissed the badge on his shirt before aiming a well-timed fist pump.
The 27-year-old is savouring his blossoming relationship with the fans, a contrast to his time at Manchester United.
Despite chipping in with a succession of key goals for United, McTominay was at times under-appreciated by sections of the club’s support.
But there appears to be no such problem in Italy and McTominay was quick to laud the supporters and the club for helping him settle into his new surroundings.
Taking to Instagram, he said: “A dream to score at the Maradona.”
McTominay also told the media: “The pride of playing here is really special and when I heard that Napoli was interested in me I felt the fire inside me.
“I wanted to come here and push as much as possible because the fans are crazy, I would say they are some of the best fans I have ever seen. Incredible.
“I can never talk enough about the fans, the people, the city and the welcome that my teammates and coaches gave me.”
GettyThe Scotland star signalled his loyalty by kissing the club badge after his goal[/caption]
The midfielder left Old Trafford late in the transfer window in a £25million deal and was instantly mobbed by fans when he arrived at the airport in Naples.
He went on to make his debut for Antonio Conte’s side in the 4-0 win over Cagliari earlier this month. His first start for the Neapolitans came in last weekend’s goalless draw at Juventus.
McTominay admits his brief time working under Conte has been constructive however he revealed the ex-Tottenham and Chelsea boss has high demands of his stars.
“When a coach of Conte’s calibre wants to bring you into his team, he fills you with confidence and the desire to show him that you are capable of giving him a lot,” he added.
“The conversations we have had between us have all been very positive. He is very demanding , which is very, very positive for a player of my age.
“Now I am 27, I am not a kid but I am not old either. So I want to be pushed to the max and I want to play to the best of my ability to show that I care a lot and that I want to do really well.
“Yes, Italian football is different and I really enjoyed it. Obviously there are a lot of tactical aspects that you have to understand and study…. But for me football is football.”
