David, the start to your Barclays Premier League season is not easy. How are you feeling about that?
It could map out our whole season, which is why we are trying to get ourselves right for the opening games. We have to play some of the better teams at the early stages, so we have to make sure we are in good form, but the same applies to them.
Do you have butterflies in your stomach?
Yeah, that comes with the excitement of the job, but it’s more to do with the magnitude of Manchester United and following arguably the greatest manager that football has ever known. You can’t see any manager thinking that would be an easy job, but in the same breath it is a great one because of what I have available and what Sir Alex has left.
I'm in charge: David Moyes (centre) gives his squad a rollicking in Bangkok at the weekend
My team: Moyes talks to his Manchester United players
At ease: David Moyes looks happy and relaxed in Tokyo and (below) tells his new Manchester United players what he expects of them
David Moyes adresses his squad
Maybe if I'm at United for 26 years, we'll end up having 'Moyesy time'
How long before it is ‘your’ team? Is it automatic or does it take six months or maybe a season?
It is my team now. I have taken over, I’m in charge. As I have said, I will use the ex-manager as much as I can because of his knowledge, but it is my team now and I have to take responsibility for that.
Sir Alex said to the supporters after his last home game that it was important to get behind the new manager. How important was that?
I have got to say it showed unbelievable class. Change can be difficult for people but importantly he gave me the confidence and hopefully from that the supporters will give me the opportunity to get started. It was good for the players, too.
Will it be a defining moment when people stop asking you about Sir Alex? Will that be a sign you’ve moved on?
Yes, in a way. I don’t want to mention Sir Alex in every conversation I have but in the same breath I would hate to think in any way that I was disrespecting someone of his level. But I will always respect him, as will Manchester United.
Making his point: David Moyes is settling in as manager of Manchester United
Running the show: But can you spot Moyes among the players and staff
There has to come a time when Manchester United is primarily associated with David Moyes, though, doesn’t there?
Yes, it has to be a new era. Whatever we say, my job now is to make my history. I’m going to follow someone who has made incredible history. I think about Matt Busby’s history and then Alex Ferguson’s history - they could do a film about it. I have to make sure now that my history and my time is something which the fans and people in the future talk about.
So it’s about toeing that line between being respectful and saying this is my time?
Yes it is. It is difficult but I think Sir Alex knows that we’re here to follow good managers. But the one thing about it is he left me with the best team in England and essentially said: ‘Go on, take it on, build on it and try and make it better’.
Does it make the job easier in sense that there have been major changes at rivals too?
They’re new managers coming into new clubs so things can change. I think the Premier League is going to be a little bit more unpredictable than it’s been in the past. I just hope the predictability about it is that Manchester United are beating everybody you expect them to beat.
How does it feel for you now that everyone wants to beat Manchester United?
It’s going to be new to me and something I’m going to have to come to terms with. But I feel comfortable in my position, I feel as if I can be in the job. I’m not saying it’s all going to be right because I don’t think (there) is any manager who always gets it right. But I do feel that I’m in a position I think I can deal with.
A new era: David Moyes gives instruction to star striker Robin van Persie
It'll be no different at Manchester United to how it was at Preston
Do you have to change your mind-set to address these kind of players? Players like Ryan Giggs etc...
A little bit because I’m looking at players who have been in an incredibly successful team over the years. I’ve got to make sure I learn from them. I don’t know it all.
Do you sense that they are judging you?
I think every footballer who I’ve worked with judged the manager. They want to see if he can earn his stripes, they want to see if they can coach, if they can make decisions.
Do you actually manage more or less than you used to?
Maybe a little bit less in many ways. I don’t need to shout as much any more, I’m not quite as intense as I was. But I actually think it’s because the level of player, the level of the standard, steps up and I’m feeling that here as well. There’s been a couple of things I’ve had to say here so far to correct things and the response is, like: ‘Yeah, OK, we’re on with that, we’ve got it done.’ That’s great.
You were 34 and were still playing at centre half when you took over at Preston 16 years ago. Was that as big a challenge as this in some ways?
I’ve got to say I didn’t win many games at the start when I took over at Preston. But when I got the job I just worked and I tried to prepare the teams and it’s the winning which gets you a chance to be involved in the next game. Then win another game and that maybe gets you another month and if you keep going you might actually get a chance of being around the top. So it’ll be no different at Manchester United.
Man in charge: Moyes put his player through their paces in Japan
Why have you recruited Ryan and Phil Neville?
You know that I did want to keep Rene Meulensteen and I wanted Paul Scholes. Paul Scholes, in time when he’s ready to come back, there will be a position for. I wanted to have something which was really involved with Manchester United.
But I also needed it to be David Moyes’s era now so that meant me taking some of my own people. I couldn’t do it without the help of Ryan Giggs while Phil Neville had known a little bit at both clubs. But more importantly he probably knew how I worked at Everton. Phil and Ryan are young so it’s really important in this job that you also keep young open-minded thoughts around you because you don’t want to get too old in your ways.
You have a reputation for driving players hard in training and placing an emphasis on physical fitness. Will that be the same here?
I think I’m going to drive, and I’m going to demand, the best out of players. I’m going to demand that they give me more, or as much as I can get from them.
You have been doing double sessions out here. That’s more than they are used to.
Yeah but I think if you asked them I think they would all say that’s good. They’ve enjoyed it. It’s nothing that I can’t do and that’s the way I judge it really. It’s nothing I couldn’t do.
Listen to me: Danny Welbeck is given guidance by his new manager
