THE team-mates left behind at Manchester United were branded "not good enough and overpaid" by their own boss last week.
But the superlatives keep flooding in for Scotland's Serie A superstar Scott McTominay.
Former Celt and Italian top-flight football pundit for TNT Sports Adam Virgo reckons the £25.7million splashed out on the midfielder is the league's best buy of the season.
Steve Clarke has a quartet of Italy-based players in his squad for the play-offs against Greece.
Virgo believes McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams performing in Serie A is a massive boost to Scotland's ambitions of staying in Nations League top rank.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583517504/1742347059/articles/kCMsyBPD3DfpIPi3N0sys/2212483423.jpg]
Right now, McTominay, 28, is pick of the bunch as he's crucial to Antonio Conte's Serie A title charge.
Napoli are three points off Inter at the top and 58-cap McTominay is a hero.
Virgo said: "Scott's been the Serie A signing of the season.
"Every time I see Napoli, he's their best player. Conte demands a lot from him - but McTominay delivers.
"He's got a really good relationship playing just in behind (Romelu) Lukaku.
"His energy levels are outstanding. He starts week in, week out. That's only going to improve him as a player for Scotland.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583517504/1742347059/articles/kCMsyBPD3DfpIPi3N0sys/3243221283.jpg]
"Napoli are conservative and the goals for' is not high (45 in 29 games). This a team that doesn't score a lot.
"Conte's team isn't set up to have a 15-goal midfielder. They play a lot through Lukaku or wider areas.
"But when McTominay makes those midfield runs, he's brilliant. He's scored big goals in big games, in a 1-1 with Inter Milan and against Atalanta in a 3-2 win.
"It's six league goals and four assists so far. He's enjoying the responsibility.
"Napoli is a BIG club. It was pandemonium when they won the league a couple of years ago; like the whole city completely stopped.
"I did the game when they won the title and there were more fans outside the stadium than in it.
"It was mental, a real hotbed. For Scott to go into that club with that mentality and produce those performances, fair play.
"Look at the influence he has on the team he's gone to and listen to him still being talked about as a big miss at United."
Gilmour has been less spectacular for Conte's crew in his 19 appearances, mostly as a sub but Virgo insists there's no shame in that - and his best spell could be imminent.
He said: "Nothing against Billy; he just has a player in front of him who's very hard to break down - Stanislav Lobotka is the most consistent holding midfielder in the league for seasons.
"Others got more of the headlines and credit but he was so important when they won the league.
"He plays that role where Billy has looked best for Scotland but they've also played together.
"Playing alongside him, he'll learn a lot. The game is a lot more tactical in Italy, like a game of chess.
"That will only enhance Billy's ability to become better and help Scotland in terms of his game management.
"He's started against Inter and Fiorentina in the last couple ...
But the superlatives keep flooding in for Scotland's Serie A superstar Scott McTominay.
Former Celt and Italian top-flight football pundit for TNT Sports Adam Virgo reckons the £25.7million splashed out on the midfielder is the league's best buy of the season.
Steve Clarke has a quartet of Italy-based players in his squad for the play-offs against Greece.
Virgo believes McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams performing in Serie A is a massive boost to Scotland's ambitions of staying in Nations League top rank.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583517504/1742347059/articles/kCMsyBPD3DfpIPi3N0sys/2212483423.jpg]
Right now, McTominay, 28, is pick of the bunch as he's crucial to Antonio Conte's Serie A title charge.
Napoli are three points off Inter at the top and 58-cap McTominay is a hero.
Virgo said: "Scott's been the Serie A signing of the season.
"Every time I see Napoli, he's their best player. Conte demands a lot from him - but McTominay delivers.
"He's got a really good relationship playing just in behind (Romelu) Lukaku.
"His energy levels are outstanding. He starts week in, week out. That's only going to improve him as a player for Scotland.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583517504/1742347059/articles/kCMsyBPD3DfpIPi3N0sys/3243221283.jpg]
"Napoli are conservative and the goals for' is not high (45 in 29 games). This a team that doesn't score a lot.
"Conte's team isn't set up to have a 15-goal midfielder. They play a lot through Lukaku or wider areas.
"But when McTominay makes those midfield runs, he's brilliant. He's scored big goals in big games, in a 1-1 with Inter Milan and against Atalanta in a 3-2 win.
"It's six league goals and four assists so far. He's enjoying the responsibility.
"Napoli is a BIG club. It was pandemonium when they won the league a couple of years ago; like the whole city completely stopped.
"I did the game when they won the title and there were more fans outside the stadium than in it.
"It was mental, a real hotbed. For Scott to go into that club with that mentality and produce those performances, fair play.
"Look at the influence he has on the team he's gone to and listen to him still being talked about as a big miss at United."
Gilmour has been less spectacular for Conte's crew in his 19 appearances, mostly as a sub but Virgo insists there's no shame in that - and his best spell could be imminent.
He said: "Nothing against Billy; he just has a player in front of him who's very hard to break down - Stanislav Lobotka is the most consistent holding midfielder in the league for seasons.
"Others got more of the headlines and credit but he was so important when they won the league.
"He plays that role where Billy has looked best for Scotland but they've also played together.
"Playing alongside him, he'll learn a lot. The game is a lot more tactical in Italy, like a game of chess.
"That will only enhance Billy's ability to become better and help Scotland in terms of his game management.
"He's started against Inter and Fiorentina in the last couple ...
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Daily Record (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 19, 2025