Neville would consider lower division football

Lyndon Lloyd , 27 March, 32comments | Jump to most recent

Phil Neville says that his desire to keep playing means that he would have no problem dropping down to the Football League to prolong his career.

Now 36, Neville is on a year-to-year contract basis at Everton but even if he is offered another extension at Goodison his first-team involvement would likely be diminished next season and he doesn't feel compelled to hang up his boots yet.

"For me, I want to continue playing as long as possible, so I'm not embarrassed to go down the leagues," Neville says in the Echo.

"I think you can still have as much fun playing in the lower leagues as you can in the Premier League.

"I think it'd be good for your experience to coach and manage down there, to go through the types of things that Edgar Davids is going through at the moment (at Barnet) because he's been used to the best things in life and now he's got to really coach."

Quotes or other material sourced from Sky Sports

Reader Comments (32)

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Nick Armitage
1 Posted 27/03/2013 at 14:26:25

Fingers crossed this is a 'come and get me.'

James Flynn
2 Posted 27/03/2013 at 14:37:45

May be a wave of the hand to Arena at Galaxy. Neville likes to go to SoCal the last few off-seasons and always winds up at Galaxy's facility to work out.

And Arena always liked an old-timer from the big leagues to play in the back. Lower leagues are lower leagues, after all. And he could learn the managing ropes under Arena as well as under any other manager. Probably learn them better, at that.

Wherever, I liked the guy but his legs are clearly shot. Can't see him re-signed for next season. In fact, I hope he isn't. It comes to an end for all of them and I think Neville has come to his.

Paul Andrews
3 Posted 27/03/2013 at 14:59:45

He should have considered it 2 years ago

Kevin Elliott
4 Posted 27/03/2013 at 15:06:59

Apparently Southport offered him a contract, but he turned them down because they could not guarantee him a place in the first team.

Chris Regan
5 Posted 27/03/2013 at 16:02:29

Good! I wish he'd fucked off years ago. He must think his first name is fuck off as that's all he hears on match day - fuck off Neville.

Liam Reilly
6 Posted 27/03/2013 at 16:07:44

Kevin and Chris - classics

James Flynn
7 Posted 27/03/2013 at 16:11:50

Come to think of it, Neville to Galaxy for Omar Gonzalez. Gonzo's not too much longer for MLS and I mark him a top backliner for some European club for years.

James Morgan
8 Posted 27/03/2013 at 16:31:10

Paul, I'll meet your two and raise you three.

Anthony Flack
9 Posted 27/03/2013 at 16:54:29

Harsh to tell him to fuck off – I would recommend him to Chester, partner up with Michael Owen.

Seriously on balance he has proven good value and committed to Everton – but now past it.

Derek McMonagle
10 Posted 27/03/2013 at 17:06:07

He's been a good servant of the club.

Don't feel you've got to rush off, Phil — the weekend is early enough.

Phil Sammon
11 Posted 27/03/2013 at 17:39:49

What the fuck is a 'backliner'?

Ian Bennett
12 Posted 27/03/2013 at 17:45:17

I like American phrases in football, it makes me laugh. Net minder (goal keeper), air attack (centre forward), I am sure others can com up with better ones.

Paul David
13 Posted 27/03/2013 at 18:09:46

Business Houses?

Paul Andrews
15 Posted 27/03/2013 at 18:36:21

James,
I`ll fold mate. :-)

Denis Richardson
16 Posted 27/03/2013 at 18:38:13

I won't be too harsh on him myself – whatever his recent performances have been like, he doesn't pick himself. Overall he was good value for the £3.5m(?) we paid for him 8-odd years ago although he could have kept his mouth shut and stayed off bloody Twatter.

Hopefully this is him realising that his days at GP are over and it's time to move on (and definitely not upwards to the EFC management slot!).

I will wish him well when he goes, but will also call the taxi myself.

Paul Andrews
17 Posted 27/03/2013 at 19:01:25

Denis,

Make sure his owld feller's not driving it

Ross Edwards
18 Posted 27/03/2013 at 19:19:50

Oh well, he can go to Liverpool then.

Nick Entwistle
19 Posted 27/03/2013 at 20:25:34

Are there that many leaders in the playing squad that Neville's absence can be smoothed over? Maybe let him do his coach/ training thing at Everton and release him to Tranmere on the weekends. What a guy to have behind the scenes.

Paul Andrews
20 Posted 27/03/2013 at 20:31:07

Perfect Nick.

He could be the class snitch.

Nick Entwistle
21 Posted 27/03/2013 at 20:32:41

No, not behind Tranmere's scenes. Unless they deploy some form of... what is it called? Tactical awareness?

Paul Andrews
22 Posted 28/03/2013 at 06:34:05

You could ask him to give you a crash course?

Andrew Laird
23 Posted 28/03/2013 at 08:36:25

I think whoever he goes to will be bringing in his experience as he no longer possesses any quality with his feet, he can point a good game though. He said not so long ago that he would step aside if he was stopping younger players getting games, well Phil you are, I suspect the current crop of under 16's would offer more than he does, certainly no less.

He doesn't pick himseIf, but being on the books and being the teachers pet means he will always be in the squad regardless. I want him gone so he is no longer an option for Moyes to use, maybe he could take Naismith with him....

Unfortunately another player who shows that Moyes fails to see when players are long past their best but are still retained to the detriment of the supporter's retinas.

Jim Hourigan
24 Posted 28/03/2013 at 11:15:14

Time to go no doubt, but lets not get too vitriolic about him. He's not a great player but was a decent captain and I for one would have had him at right back over Hibbert any day of the week. He's a decent pro who was very fortunate to have played at Man Utd, because had he played at any other Premier League club he would only have seen internationals from the TV.

Definitely passed his sell-by date but, despite being a Manc, he put his shift in and never shirked, not like some greater talents who had much smaller hearts.

Wayne Smyth
25 Posted 28/03/2013 at 12:05:54

Why does he need to drop down a league to get a game? His is the first name on Moyes team sheet and probably will continue to be till Moyes leaves.

I also agree with Denis and Andrew; despite the fact that he is way past being competent to play in midfield at Premier League level, it's not his fault he gets picked. It's the tit of a manager that picks him ahead of our promising youth players who never get a look-in.

Oliver Molloy
26 Posted 28/03/2013 at 12:16:57

I think Neville knows Moyes is going!!

Kevin Jones
27 Posted 28/03/2013 at 12:24:04

He might as well, he's been playing it for the last few seasons.

I Thank You...

Tony J Williams
28 Posted 28/03/2013 at 12:23:29

Who are these promising youth players that he is stopping Wayne? Who is this defensive midfield maestro that isn't getting a chance because of him?

Thomas Windsor
29 Posted 28/03/2013 at 12:53:48

It's not his fault, let's make this clear: for me, Neville was finished years ago as a central midfield player and even then he was no great shakes... a full back, yes, he was good for a few years.

The problem was David Moyes who kept on picking him – that's why I think it's time for a new manager with fresh ideas... and bringing in younger players is a must.

Moyes will not get a good a job as he has had at Everton; no other club would employ him for 11 years.

Phil Walling
30 Posted 28/03/2013 at 13:15:37

So that's our Chairman, Manager and Captain who all `want out` of Everton.

Some of us might say `good riddance` but the truth is all three are hanging around for offers.

I suspect we`re blessed with them for a while yet!

Phil Sammon
31 Posted 28/03/2013 at 13:45:32

Wayne

Barkley? Junior? Lundstram? And not young – but Hitzlsperger.

Moyes should have dropped Fellaini deeper to cover Gibson. That much is so obvious it's painful.

Rob Prince
32 Posted 28/03/2013 at 14:55:18

I find the negativity towards Neville frankly astonishing.

YES, he´s now well past it;
YES, his recent performances and particularly this season have been awful;
YES, he has stuck his foot in it a few times recently (Bolton, Liverpool dive), so...
YES, it´s time he left.

But... he has been a great servant to the club and been an ambassador for it; he has given 110 % effort each week (unfortunately even effort can´t paste over the cracks though); he has been a leader on the field and I believe he helped the team progress.

Let's not say "good riddance" to him rather than "cheers". Good riddance for people like Van der Meyde, Drenthe etc.

Mark Frere
33 Posted 28/03/2013 at 16:20:29

Not a bad right back in his time here, but he's never quite been as good as Carsley was in midfield. Time for him to decent thing now and move on.

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