Neville exits after one World Cup semi-final, several outbursts and an arrogance not befitting a coach with such limited experience After the longest of goodbyes the Phil Neville experiment is finally over. He leaves the England job not on the crest of a wave following major tournament success, or tail between legs having fallen short on the biggest of stages, but with a muted press release that sums up a muted and, dare we say it, tepid tenure.As he leaves to become Inter Miami manager, five days short of his three-year anniversary, what to make of it all? There has been praise for aspects of the 43-year-old’s spell. His holistic approach and the big-game experience he had from his career...
Issues the FA was willing to overlook have come home to roost and a quick decision must be made over the Tokyo OlympicsThe appointment of Phil Neville as manager of the Lionesses was shambolic. Not on the initial shortlist, or even longlist, rumour has it Neville’s name was dropped into the ring by a jesting journalist. As candidate after candidate fell out of the running, the Football Association’s handling of Mark Sampson and the increased scrutiny associated with the role putting some off, suddenly Neville was appointed.Unveiling a manager with no experience in women’s football raised eyebrows but was not necessarily a problem, in fact his lack of baggage within the women’s game was a plus. Giving the top job...
With the Olympics looming and England’s form poor the games in the US in March carry significance – and a chance for revengeFriendly tournaments do not generally warrant much attention. The sponsored mini cup competitions that clubs sign up for in pre-season are a prime example of games that have very little bearing on, well, anything. The US-hosted SheBelieves Cup, though, is seen a little differently generally, as national teams pit themselves against the world champions in their own back yard. This year, for the Lionesses, March’s tournament is about more than bragging rights and the confidence boost of beating the best. Here’s why ... Related: Phil Neville and England relishing tough task of SheBelieves Cup title defence Continue reading...
The Lionesses have had a wake-up call since the highs of the World Cup and their lack of consistency has to be a concernPhil Neville’s grave was being dug, but up popped Leah Williamson to throw some dirt back in the hole. Her 86th-minute winner in Ceske Budejovice handed the Lionesses’ manager a lifeline after a laboured performance against a team ranked 21 places below them. Weaknesses that have been evident all year were laid bare amid the flurry of winter’s first snow.Another sluggish start and lapses in concentration could not be obscured by England’s three goals and the relief afterwards among the players and Neville was clear, having finished the year with a win that stopped their poor run...
The England Women’s manager has done a reasonable job, but has yet to live up to the high standards he has set himselfShow don’t tell. It’s an age-old technique employed by writers and film-makers who wish to put across their story in a way that places readers or movie-goers in the shoes of the characters involved. “Don’t tell me the moon is shining,” said Anton Chekhov, a man who knew a thing or two about stringing together a few lines of dialogue. “Show me the glint of light on broken glass.”One wonders what old Anton might have made of Phil Neville’s approach to managing the England Women football team, a modus operandi that appears to fly in the face of...