MY ACCOUNT
Phil Neville faces an uncertain future having been sacked from his position as Inter Miami manager.
The former Manchester United and England full-back was given the boot by the MLS club, who are co-owned by his former team-mate David Beckham.
He was appointed in 2021 having resigned from his position in charge of the England Women’s team.
With Neville now without a job, we take a look at what caused his sacking and whether he has a future as a manager.
Miami sacking
Neville was sacked after his side lost 1-0 at home to the New York Red Bulls.
It was the franchise’s fourth consecutive loss in the MLS, leaving them rock bottom of the Eastern Conference after 15 games.
The pressure was clearly beginning to tell on Neville, who recently swore at a reporter in the press conference that followed a 3-1 home defeat to Orlando City.
Inter finished 11th in the Eastern Conference in the manager’s first season in 2021 but made the play-offs last year with a sixth-place finish.
This season’s results have therefore been a big disappointment, with Inter only winning five of their 15 matches and losing ten.
Beckham statement
It must have been tough for Beckham to be part of the decision to sack Neville with the pair having known each other since their days in the United youth set-up.
The former England captain released a statement on the club’s website in which he spoke about the process.
He said: “When we appointed Phil we knew he would give Inter Miami his all and I have watched him work incredibly hard and with real commitment towards the ambitions we set out for the club.
“He and his family embraced Miami and he has devoted himself to the drive to bring success to the city and to our fans.
“Phil has made a real contribution to the culture of our club with his qualities as a leader and knowledge as a coach.
“Sometimes in this game we have to make the toughest decisions and sadly we feel the time is right to make a change.”
During Neville’s managerial career, his qualifications for the roles he has been given have often been questioned.
Following coaching positions at United and Valencia, his spells with the Lionesses and Inter Miami have both ended in failure.
England disappointment
Neville’s tenure as Lionesses boss started brightly with a victory in the SheBelieves Cup and a run to the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup.
Results then took a dip and with his job under pressure, the coach announced that he would leave the role when his contract expired following Euro 2021.
With that tournament being pushed back to 2022 following the coronavirus crisis, he stepped down earlier than planned and took the Inter Miami job.
The success of the Lionesses under Sarina Wiegman, with her team winning the European Championship, has made his tenure look even less impressive.
Neville has been given two big chances to establish a name for himself as a manager and failed them both.
It is hard to see where he goes from here. If he wanted to continue as a head coach, then he would surely have to drop down to a less high-profile role than the ones that he has so far occupied.
Perhaps it is time for Phil to follow brother Gary into TV punditry. His brother’s sacking by Valencia has not held him back from enjoying a prominent role in the sport.
