PHIL Neville believes that Manchester United and England have the right men in charge to lead the way to glory.
United's under-achieving campaign in the Premiership and Champions League has brought criticism showering down on Sir Alex Ferguson, as the future of his Red Empire is called into question.
For England, the tabloid media vultures have been hovering over Sven-Goran Eriksson.
But Neville now has success in his sights for both the Three Lions in Euro 2004 in June and the Reds next season, as they bid to overhaul Arsenal.
"The United situation is not as serious as people outside of the club are making it out to be," Phil told M.E.N. Sport. "We have a manager who never believes what is written. He always takes a level-headed view of things. We'll be back next season as strong as ever.
"You look at the seasons when we have lost the title in the past and we've always bounced back bigger and better. We have a manager who, when the chips are down, comes out fighting and battling. And that's what he instils in the team.
"That's what excites me about next season. To be honest, apart from the FA Cup final and trying to get second spot in the Premiership, everyone wants this season to be over with and to come back next year and put things right.
Unstoppable
"Arsenal have deserved the league because of their achievement in going unbeaten so far. You have to take it on the chin and say `well done' to them for what they have achieved and how they've played. They have played some unbelievable football. They haven't just beaten teams - they have destroyed them and scored fantastic goals.
"They have set the benchmark for next term." Neville was talking to M.E.N. Sport courtesy of Carlsberg, the official beer of the England football team and official partner of Euro 2004, who have started an initiative to unite the country behind Eriksson's side in Portugal.
And the Reds' 27-year-old believes the fans look set to have something to cheer about when England kick off against France on June 13.
He says the England squad were delighted when Eriksson committed himself to a new England contract, ending reports that he would be going to Chelsea in the summer.
"The speculation over Sven's future with England had to be put to bed before Portugal," Phil declared.
"Going into a major championship with that hanging over us would have affected the whole of the nation. He did the right thing. It shut everybody up and he can get on with managing England now."
Have United and England got the right men at the helm? Have your say.
For more from Phil, including his views on England's chances and his own prospects of making the squad pick up today's Evening News.
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unbelievable - who wants to listen to comments from the Neville's ? He is a second rate player who can only play at MU because SAF is taking care of him as a father. He should not talk of next season as he should leave together with Butt, Forlan. In general stop all this stupid talk of us coming back this season and next - we need action on the field and from Managment over the summer - otherwise 4th place is the best we can hope for.
Beware: this is the same man, who a few weeks ago said that we still had a chance of catching Arsenal.
Don't know about England, butMU,yes, we got the right man. Believe me, MU will be on top soon.
ManUnited must sell off the following players urgently if they want to recapture their glory as England Champion.
1. Nicky Butt
2. Philip Neville
3. Forlan
Must buy 1 defender and 2 forward from Europe or potential players from EPL.
Phil's always good for a "chuckle" and a yellow card for senselessly sticking in the boot. Oh has anyone mentioned his passing ability. Is this something you can work on in training?
I know I'm being hard on the guy but I just don't see why we have to play him in central midfield as often as we do when Fletcher is already a mile ahead of him in terms of ability.
Get off your knees phil.How low will you go to save your career.Hopefully you`ll be shipped out with the rest of the deadwood this summer and as for england they`ll take anyone!
The Crown Prince of Mirth and Mediocrity is back again! Can't somebody gag this eejit? I would recommend compulsory membership of a monastic order with a permanent vow of silence. Better still, a free transfer to the Temple of Doom in the summer!
With the ever increasing comments coming out of OT as regards to "lack of consistancy costing us the title", stating the obvious BLAH BLAH BLAH....then we get this muppet. UTD fans are fast getting fed up with what was once a great club turning into a Mickey Mouse club with below average players thanks to poor Management at all levels. We all know who needs to leave during the summer and we all have our own opinions as to who we would like but the chances of any "World Class" player wanting to play in this sub-standard side are nil. Until serious action is taken the club will continue to slide. But we All know nothing will be done about it and I fully expect the present players along with maybe a few from Leeds bargin boot sale, to still be here next season.....Cant wait!!!
Think you`re all being a bit hard on poor phil.Its not his fault that the only talent he has is making ludicrious,blatantly obvious, senseless and completely fool-hardy statements.
A case of talking away the whole season, and not producing the goods on the field, apart from young Ronaldo the rest are just pathetic and that includes old blue nose.
Barcelona have made a 12 mil euro bid for Van de Vaart, about 8 mill quid. That would probably be covered by a year's wages for the Nevilles, Butt and Forlan. I suppose he'll have signed by the time the board decide if they should risk an 8.1 mill bid. Come on Gill and friends get an offer together sharpish. He's got to be worth at least a 10 mill offer. There could always be a spare 6 million from an ex-manager's salary. As to Zinedine Neville's comments I really think they should concentrate on convincing us on the pitch that they're up to the challenge of next season.
More comments from Neville! The only thing consistent about him is the crap that he talks. He, Butt, Forlan and Giggs (because he has talent but doesn't make much effort) should be shipped out at the end of the season. And if Ferguson doesn't get rid of them then the board should ask him to leave. Ferguson accepts responsibility for nothing and and insults the fans by consistently playing second rate players. Derr Phil, as for England, they will do nothing this summer. They simply haven't got any top class players.
Do you get the feeling that P Nev's trying to appease BOTH managers to stay in their teams? To move forward I think itis now time for SAF to break up the "Fantastic FIVE" even more. Becks has gone. Butt might as well have gone. P Nev was never really here. That will leave G Nev and Scholes left to at least offer something tothe team. Scholes could play well into his Thirties because his game is based on pure skill and timing rather than pace. It's been a trying year and maybe we have expected too much from the new players too soon. Only when they have had a run in the team like Ronaldo have they began to shine. It has been the senior players that have letthe side down with SAF's poor judgement of converting Fortune into a LeftBack and not buying Saha until January. Selling Becks meant that creativity was needed evenmore than before - so what did he do? Move P Nev into the centre and play Scholes on the wing! IF we cannot make any serious purchases in the summer and Miller is as good as they say he is then let's keep the line-up regular with Howard, G Nev, Brown, Silverstre, O Shea (He's due a good season but can be switched with Silverste when Ferdie returns) Ronaldo and Giggs on the flanks (aided by Eagles and Richardson), Central: -Keane and Scholes (aided by Kleb, Djemba,Fletcher and Miller) Up front RVN and Saha (aided by Bellion, Ole, Timms and a new signing with electric pace. That may not be enough to overtake Arsenal but it should allow the team to develop and knit together much better. Oh, keep P Nev and Fortune (if they are still here for the Carling Cup only)
Poor old Phil, all he ever wanted to be was a full-back. Then Sir tactical genius decided that he was going to be a midfielder and he's been trying in a fullbackish sort of a way. Of course even a blind ferret can see that he is not and was never meant to be a midfielder. How can the richest club play him in their midfield will be a mystery united fans will be trying to unravel in centuries to come. Please Phil, if you love utd beg the boss never to play you in the midfield ever again,please tell him that you aren't very good in that position, in fact you are absolutely hopeless, please. If you do then you can come and tell us how excited you are about whatever you want.
A third rate player who is unfit to wear the MU shirt shoots his mouth off when he should know that most fans would dance with joy when he is off-loaded with the other deadwood.Perhaps he thinks that by sucking up to Ferguson he will be safe.A good try but Ferguson himself may not be around much longer.
United is a PLC and they know that profits cannot grow without trophies. Its called creating shareholder value. They will also soon come to the conclusion that SAF has taken the club as far as he can and should probably call time on a fantastic 18 years. The football world will also expect United to come back with a lot more than the team offered this season. I believe we will see a response (positive)this Summer that will surprise even the most pessemistic amongst the fans and furthermore terrify rivals.
Pointless article don't the MEN have anything better to report, or is their a comical bitter on your team who keeps coming up with these inane rantings. Contrary to opinion I see no reason why PN shouldn't still be at OT as a squad player used in emergencies...he is not and never should be 1st choice. There should be more creativity with the odd 'workhorse' available if needed!
Sign Morientes...!
Of course SAF is the man. He gets all the credit when it goes right and not of the blame when it goes wrong. Are there any more jobs going like that
Leave Phil alone, he knows how to keep his job at any other cub than United he would not even get a job on the turnstiles.
I'm fed up reading articles by PN, his brother GN and a few others about what they are going to achieve. They have achieved nothing this season, and if truth be told they have regressed, if that was possible.
I think the best advice that could be given to them would be words along the lines imparted by Ann Robinson. Yes it's that time.
New blood is required and more especially in defence.
SAF had always been the man for the job, constantly doing what's right for the team no matter how many haters he cultivated from other teams. However, over the last few years, his decisions have certainly gone awry. Here are 10 reasons his standards have dipped: 1) Sold Beckham and Stam IN THEIR PRIME...2) Hijacked Boro and Leeds' attempts to sign the likes of Forlan & Kleb, yet chickened out when it came down to Robben or Ronaldinho...3) Appeased us with explanations like "Blanc's experience is rubbing off on the rest" and "Kleberson won Brazil the World Cup". (Was he trying to fool us, or did he truly believe that?)...4) Keeps fielding reserves whenever a midtable team comes. How many backfires to teach him?...5) Plays everyone out of position, for no reason at all...6) Allowed the horse issue to affect his footballing matters...7) Never replaced Rio even though it was apparent since the summer that we were short on defenders... 8) Does not motivate the players before the match, hence has to throw in Ronaldo at the end to try to salvage a goal. Why not play the best players from the start so we won't have to chase every single bloody game?... 9) Allows the team to take their foot of the pedal as soon as we score. For chrissake we've only got 61 EPL goals so far. Oh for the Cole-Yorke days!...10) Promoted the likes of Forune, NevilleP and Solskjaer to starters when they simply weren't good enough 2 or 3 seasons ago. Is that progress. Conclusion: Yes, he's a great manager, but does that mean we should keep him forever? The evidence is clear that his time is up, as is Giggs's.
With Mourinho going to Chelsea and Arsenal manager in form, SAF needs to haul in Chris Coleman (Fulham) as his second, instead of the one he now has who looks more like a retired soldier than anything else.