Manchester United released an interview video with Maguire, in which he talked about the preseason, Carrick's momentum last season, new signings, and his feelings about returning to the Champions League.
Harry, it's great to see you. How's the preseason going so far?
Yes, it's been excellent. Yeah, this preseason has been really great. I feel like we're getting better and better with each game, which is always pleasing. For me, this preseason has been long; I'm not used to such a long preparation period. However, it's really good to gradually get into form, feel the progress in fitness, playing style, principles, and tactics. So, yes, I'm enjoying it, and so far, it's been a fantastic preseason.
With more time to adapt, do you feel better prepared?
Of course. I think your fitness level will continue to improve every week during the preseason. The good thing is that you don't have to jump straight into a 60-minute match. For example, I can play two 45-minute matches first, and then last night I completed my first 90-minute game.
So overall, I'm very happy with everything. As a team, I think we're in a good position right now. Everyone looks healthy and strong. The players who returned from the World Cup are now back in the team, which is great and makes our squad stronger. The competition is also more intense, which is how it should be at this club.
This preseason is different from usual because you've been staying at the Carrington training facility. Normally you'd go to the US or somewhere else and be with your families, right?
Yes, I think it's definitely different. Usually we'd be away for two or three weeks every summer, but not this time. Training overseas and seeing fans is always great, but this year is different. I think training at Carrington has also helped, and the time difference and other factors have probably made your preparations more thorough. So, this preseason has been excellent. Although there wasn't a tour, we still visited some great countries and saw a lot of fans. Even outside of the tour, you can still feel the size of the club and the global fan base. It's important for this club to truly feel supported not only in England but all over the world.
This is Michael Carrick and his coaching staff's first full season. Are you aiming to continue the momentum from last season, or will you be incorporating some new ideas?
Yes, absolutely. It would be great if we could maintain that momentum. I think we've had the most points in the Premier League since he took over, and that will be our goal this season. However, we'll certainly have new ideas, new styles of play, and different tactics the manager wants us to use. Last season we played very well in many games, but we could have played even better. As players, we all know that. The points and results were good, but we felt we could have done more in terms of performance. So we've been working hard to improve that during preseason, and I think we'll see even better performances next season. The arrival of new players has also helped.
Andre Santos, Dalot, and Tielemans have arrived; how much impact have they had?
Of course it has an impact. Andre has been here since the first minute of the preseason, and he's been outstanding. You can clearly feel his progress. I was teammates with him at Leicester and Tielemans , so I know his ability and talent. He's at an age where he'll integrate directly into the team. I'm sure he won't need much of an adjustment period; he'll immediately become an important player for this club. He's a top player, I know that. As for Dalot, he's temporarily unable to fully participate due to some minor issues, but I know him. I've played against him many times over the years; he's a very easy person to get along with and brings a great atmosphere to the dressing room. He brings leadership and value to the team not only on the pitch but also off it.
We've seen quite a few young players in the preseason, such as your partner Aiden Haven, another center-back Dan Amherst, and Shay Lacey, who's been getting a lot of playing time. Do you think they'll have an impact throughout the season?
Of course! I think one of the things about the preseason is that if you're a young player, you get opportunities. I must say, these young guys came back in great form; everyone was very sharp.
On the first day of running tests, they impressed everyone. Their physical condition was excellent, which deserves high praise. Speaking of Aiden, he's no longer considered a young player because he's already played many games for the club. However, he's been outstanding this preseason. Dan is also fantastic; at only 17 or 18 years old, he's already playing in tough matches for the club, and it's his first time playing for the first team. He's performed exceptionally well at center-back, and hopefully he continues to improve and enjoy training with us. There are many other excellent young players, and of course, you mentioned Shea; he's also been outstanding this preseason.
