CHANDIGARH: Famously a one-club man at Manchester United, Gary Neville won eight Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League crowns. In Chandigarh for the finale of the ‘United We Play’ initiative, the former right-back with 85 England caps spoke exclusively to TOI about United’s problems, Erik ten Hag’s future, and why he’s been critical of a foreigner taking over as England manager. Excerpts…
You are famously a one-club man. What made you stick with Manchester United?
I don’t criticise players for switching clubs. I played at the club that I loved and supported. We were successful and I never wanted to play anywhere else. But that’s easy for me. If you look at players that move, they do so to either to get a better salary or they move to play for a better club and further their career. I didn’t need to do that. I didn’t need to go and get a better salary. I didn’t need to go and play for a different club because the club that I wanted to play for was already there. So I don’t criticise players for their lack of loyalty to the clubs that they grew up with.
You played for Manchester United at a time when they were the best team in the world. Right now, that’s not the case…
I think, sometimes, football and life is about cycles. Obviously at this moment Manchester City and Liverpool are very successful. Arsenal are getting better. Manchester United, obviously over the last 10 years, have had their challenges. It’s been a big, big problem overcoming the loss of David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson. But I am more enthused by what’s happened in the last twelve months with the fact that there has been a disruption in the ownership. There’s been a lot of changes behind the scenes at the club, and I’m hopeful that given time, the football department with Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox can bring success in the next three to five years.
United had their worst start after seven rounds in the Premier League. Is there a way back?
It’s been hugely disappointing. I don’t think anybody expected this. You’ve got to hope that coming out of the international break, there is a reset, there’s a recalibration of sorts, there’s a change in mentality. Good performances are needed in the next few weeks.
Erik ten Hag was close to getting the sack last season but survived. Was that the right move?
I could sense at the end of last season, after the FA Cup victory, and with the change in the structure of the club, that United will persist with Erik Ten Hag. I think a lot of people and United fans, wanted Erik to stay. A lot of people thought with a really successful transfer window, we could go on to have a very successful season this year. That could still happen.
If Ten Hag fails to force a turnaround quickly, do you think his position is in danger?
No doubt there’s pressure. In England, there’s big media pressure and the scrutiny is gruelling. Some results are needed. It seems to me that the ownership, and particularly Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, are looking at it in a more strategic way, with a patient approach. There’s no doubt they will want big improvements in the next few weeks in (terms of) performances and results.
You have been critical of Thomas Tuchel, a foreigner, being appointed England manager…
To say ‘being quite critical’ doesn’t sound right. I’m a great fan of international investment into our country. I’m a great fan of international people coming and working in our country. I just think that England should have an English coach because it’s our national team. We’ve tried obviously having international coaches before in SvenGoran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, and I feel Gareth Southgate did a very good job. We have some talented English coaches like Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, who could have potentially taken the job.
(Gary Neville was in Chandigarh for the initiative on behalf of Apollo Tyres)
You are famously a one-club man. What made you stick with Manchester United?
I don’t criticise players for switching clubs. I played at the club that I loved and supported. We were successful and I never wanted to play anywhere else. But that’s easy for me. If you look at players that move, they do so to either to get a better salary or they move to play for a better club and further their career. I didn’t need to do that. I didn’t need to go and get a better salary. I didn’t need to go and play for a different club because the club that I wanted to play for was already there. So I don’t criticise players for their lack of loyalty to the clubs that they grew up with.
You played for Manchester United at a time when they were the best team in the world. Right now, that’s not the case…
I think, sometimes, football and life is about cycles. Obviously at this moment Manchester City and Liverpool are very successful. Arsenal are getting better. Manchester United, obviously over the last 10 years, have had their challenges. It’s been a big, big problem overcoming the loss of David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson. But I am more enthused by what’s happened in the last twelve months with the fact that there has been a disruption in the ownership. There’s been a lot of changes behind the scenes at the club, and I’m hopeful that given time, the football department with Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox can bring success in the next three to five years.
United had their worst start after seven rounds in the Premier League. Is there a way back?
It’s been hugely disappointing. I don’t think anybody expected this. You’ve got to hope that coming out of the international break, there is a reset, there’s a recalibration of sorts, there’s a change in mentality. Good performances are needed in the next few weeks.
Erik ten Hag was close to getting the sack last season but survived. Was that the right move?
I could sense at the end of last season, after the FA Cup victory, and with the change in the structure of the club, that United will persist with Erik Ten Hag. I think a lot of people and United fans, wanted Erik to stay. A lot of people thought with a really successful transfer window, we could go on to have a very successful season this year. That could still happen.
If Ten Hag fails to force a turnaround quickly, do you think his position is in danger?
No doubt there’s pressure. In England, there’s big media pressure and the scrutiny is gruelling. Some results are needed. It seems to me that the ownership, and particularly Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, are looking at it in a more strategic way, with a patient approach. There’s no doubt they will want big improvements in the next few weeks in (terms of) performances and results.
You have been critical of Thomas Tuchel, a foreigner, being appointed England manager…
To say ‘being quite critical’ doesn’t sound right. I’m a great fan of international investment into our country. I’m a great fan of international people coming and working in our country. I just think that England should have an English coach because it’s our national team. We’ve tried obviously having international coaches before in SvenGoran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, and I feel Gareth Southgate did a very good job. We have some talented English coaches like Graham Potter and Eddie Howe, who could have potentially taken the job.
(Gary Neville was in Chandigarh for the initiative on behalf of Apollo Tyres)
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