Points of view: Coach Neville has a lot to say

It was before he realised he would be working with them, but in one squad he omitted John Terry as well as Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard.

‘I’ve said a lot over the years!’ replied Neville, laughing. ‘If you went through my back catalogue you’d have some fun. But on that point, I’d say two things. One, at that stage I’m a punter, speaking from afar.

‘Having spoken to or listened to Roy, he wanted to have an eye on moving forward and I think he has shown that in the squad. From Roy’s  perspective he also wanted to pay respect to the players who had got the team to the tournament and worked so hard over a two-year period.

‘It makes sense when you listen to Roy talk about his thought process behind the squad.’

Neville talks a lot of sense and he does not pull his punches. Having the WAGS staying nearby, he says, is not a mistake that will be repeated.
‘That won’t happen again,’ he said. ‘The FA learned from the experience in 2006. The England team did. That wasn’t ideal for anybody. It was symptomatic of the times. Between 2002 and 2007 everyone got carried away with  everything in life. It is a different world now.

‘We are managing it this time in a completely different way. We are here to play football. We are here to work.’

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