What Neville said and the case against him

“Relax I’m back chilled – just battered the wife!!! Feel better now!!!” he wrote. Another read: “Morning men couple of hours cricket before work sets me up nicely for the day!” When asked why he failed to mention women, Neville replied: “When I said morning men I thought the women would of been busy preparing breakfast/getting kids ready/making the beds – sorry morning women!” The England women’s manager’s job was advertised as being based at St Georges Park, Derbyshire.

Neville currently lives in Spain and has two children at secondary school there with his son also on Valencia’s books. The Spanish school year runs, like the English, until this summer. Any reasonable person will understand how important it is not to disrupt schooling and ordinarily a coach might be able to get away with commuting from the Continent for six months. It is thought Neville had never attended a women’s match prior to him being approached.

Phil Neville was parachuted into the England Women’s job after many of the candidates withdrew because of the “scrutiny” it would bring, the Football Association’s head of women’s football has revealed. Baroness Campbell, who led the search for Mark Sampson’s replacement, attempted to quell the storm around Neville’s appointment by disclosing the reason she was forced to look beyond her original shortlist.

Neville, Neville put on your… managers suit

Should the England women’s football team put up with a misogynist man as their manager? We asked some of our readers for their responses.

Callum Hay, Whoever can make them successful I guess. Success is the quickest way to grow the sport…

Alex Shough, if it’s a dude, it should at least be one with experience of the women’s game and a track record of success within it. Phil has neither experience in the women’s game, nor a record of success in the game whatsoever.

Paul Louis Paterson, I feel like the sport(s) should be combined. Unisex. About ten seasons ago now a Serie B (Italian) team attempted to sign a female player, but the Italian FA refused. There would be nothing holding a woman back in the game if trained to the same standard. Clermont Foot in Ligue 1 (French) has now had two female managers in a row (although the first never took charge of a game). Helena Costa took charge in 2014 and Corinne Diacre was in charge from 2014 to 2017, three full seasons.

Pieter Egriega, A woman is the best man for the job! Phil Neville will know more about men’s football than Hope Powell, who used to be the woman’s manager. But she will always know more about women in football than any man will know about women in football!

Jonathan Fletcher, Would you be asking the same question if the England men’s team wanted to appoint a woman?

Nigel Jones-Morris, He was however, one of a small number of people willing to take the job on, others being scared off due to
fear of excessive media scrutiny.

Tessa Caley, If you are managing a women’s football team it’s more than just the football so knowing women is probably going to be a key skill for the job! But I can’t see why an approachable bloke couldn’t manage!

The Case In His Favor

Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis adds: “This is a someone who has worked under Sir Alex Ferguson and is from a group of players who have lived with a winning mentality their whole careers. That is something which this team has never had and needs to take it to the next level – a leader who knows what that looks like.” After 10 years as a professional with Manchester United, during which time he won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, three FA Charity Shields, the Intercontinental Cup and the Champions League, he joined Everton in 2005, where he spent the final eight years of his playing career. Neville also played for England 59 times between 1996 and 2007, representing the nation at three European Championships. He could play in defence or midfield; due to this versatility, he operated in a number of different positions throughout his career.