The powerful defender made his debut for the Tigers at the weekend
Paddy McNair looks on as Emil Riis celebrates Bristol City’s third goal on Saturday(Image: Greig Cowie/Shutterstock)
Paddy McNair says being back playing in England was a great feeling, but admitted his debut felt like a kick in the teeth after finding himself on the losing side.
The Northern Irishman made his Hull City debut in a back three against Bristol City on Saturday afternoon, and though he delivered a solid opening display for the Tigers, his side conceded three poor goals to see their five-game unbeaten run ended.
McNair joined City in the latter stages of the transfer window, after agreeing an early exit from MLS side San Diego in California, and the 30-year-old former Middlesbrough favourite admits the lure of the second-tier was just too strong to resist when the Tigers came calling.
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“I was just saying to a few of the lads in the last few days, when I was out there, I just found myself missing the Championship,” McNair told Hull Live.
“I’ve played in it for so long. I’m very happy to be back. The biggest thing for me is probably the atmosphere and that pressure of playing.
“I definitely think the MLS doesn’t get the credit it deserves for the standard because there are so many good players. The majority of my team could easily play in the Championship. I don’t think the standard gets the credit, but for me, the biggest thing was the atmosphere and that pressure of getting three points. It just felt like it wasn’t England, so I’m very happy to be back.”
City were not the only club keen on signing McNair when it became apparent that he wanted a move back to England, and that there was a deal to be done for a player with more than two hundred Championship games under his belt.
A combination of the club’s determination to sign him on an initial 18-month deal, coupled with the likes of Matt Crooks and Ryan Giles being at the MKM Stadium, made the decision an awful lot easier.
“I had a few Zoom calls with a few clubs, but I just had a good feeling about it,” he explained. “I knew a lot of the lads here, and I knew a couple of staff members. I knew a lot of ex-players, and I’ve played here as an away player plenty of times
“Everyone’s always had a good word about everything, the area, the club, so once I knew Hull City were interested, it was the only place where I wanted to come.”
And though McNair says being back playing in England felt good, losing on his first outing in Black and Amber was the proverbial sucker punch.
“It was nice to be back and playing in England. On your debut, you want to win, so that’s the kick in the teeth a bit. It’s just one of those things,” he continued.
McNair also felt the manner of the goals conceded against the Robins was particularly frustrating, especially given how much the Tigers had improved defensively in recent games, having picked up back-to-back shut-outs in the two games before.
“I said to one of the lads at the end of the game, ‘I was like the Championship hasn’t changed any since I’ve been away.’ It’s always small margins in the game. Going ahead one-nil, I feel like we’re in control. It can just change so fast.
“It gives them a lift, and those goals, I feel like they don’t have to work too hard for it, which is the frustrating thing. It’s part and parcel of football in a way. It’s the ups and downs of the team. Games don’t always go the way you want them to. You can never get too ahead of yourself or whatever, so we’ll look at the goals, improve on it and take it from there.”
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