“We are now viewed as a big club and as a consequence of that everybody connected with us has to have a big club mentality,” said Hughes. “The focus on us this year is more than tenfold what it was in the past and we have to deal with it. It has to be expected because there is a huge interest in what we do. That only accentuates the negative agenda some people have of us. They will try to make mischief and make our job harder. But that happens at every top club and if we are viewed as a big club we have to act like one.”

My sides hurt.