Gary Neville

[Hacker Khan]

I do find it a bit strange that people are having a go at Neville for not being up to the job. When if you look, hardly any managers stay at a top club for much time nowadays. I expect Neville could have done just as good a job at United as Van Gaal is doing, just as good a job at Chelsea as Mourinho did this season or Hiddink is doing, just as good a job as Klopp is doing at Liverpool. All vastly experienced managers who have been no better than Neville would have been.

 

[Dan2501]

Here's my list of top players that made great managers:

Ferguson
B. Robson
Venables
Beckenbauer
Clough
Capello
Klinsmann

Add to that:

Pep
Cruyff
Ancelotti
Dalglish
Clough
Keegan
Heynckes
Laudrup
Koeman
Rijkaard
Simeone

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Add to that:

Pep
Cruyff
Ancelotti
Dalglish
Clough
Keegan
Heynckes
Laudrup
Koeman
Rijkaard
Simeone

Keegan - great manager ? That would be an interesting debate

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Keegan - great manager ? That would be an interesting debate

As would be a debate on his greatness as a player.

A very good player who absolutely got the maximum out of his talents but not comparable with, amongst others, Dalglish.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Keegan - great manager ? That would be an interesting debate

If Keegan was a great manager Souness was a legendary one!

 

[Dan2501]

Keegan - great manager ? That would be an interesting debate

Maybe not great, but certainly a very good manager. Took Newcastle from the depths of Division 2 where they almost got relegated under Ardilles, to Division 2 Champions and then in their first season back in Division 1 were predicted to finished bottom but Keegan took them to the top and made Newcastle a top side. They bottled their lead in 95-96 when they should have won the league, but he was a massive success at Newcastle. Also the first manager to win the First Division title with 2 different clubs - Newcastle and Manchester City.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

As would be a debate on his greatness as a player.

A very good player who absolutely got the maximum out of his talents but not comparable with, amongst others, Dalglish.

Keegan ? He proved himself on the pitch both home and abroad - winning titles and EC and a couple of European Footballer of the Year awards - then instrumental for Soton and then Newcadtle - playing career littered with success

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Keegan ? He proved himself on the pitch both home and abroad - winning titles and EC and a couple of European Footballer of the Year awards - then instrumental for Soton and then Newcadtle - playing career littered with success

Not saying he wasn't a very fine player. (See my original post)

But a great player? Sorry, but having seen him play on many occasions, not in my opinion.

Still, as I suggested, a subject for debate and opinions.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Maybe not great, but certainly a very good manager. Took Newcastle from the depths of Division 2 where they almost got relegated under Ardilles, to Division 2 Champions and then in their first season back in Division 1 were predicted to finished bottom but Keegan took them to the top and made Newcastle a top side. They bottled their lead in 95-96 when they should have won the league, but he was a massive success at Newcastle. Also the first manager to win the First Division title with 2 different clubs - Newcastle and Manchester City.

That for me IMO makes him a decent manager who did well in the lower leagues but was just short when it came to the big prize

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Not saying he wasn't a very fine player. (See my original post)

But a great player? Sorry, but having seen him play on many occasions, not in my opinion.

Still, as I suggested, a subject for debate and opinions.

I suppose it's all about boundaries of "great"

Wouldn't have him in the top echelon of players - messi etc and yeah agree not as good as Kenny for us but there is always that spell in Germany where it seemed he stepped up another level

 

[Tongo]

Keegan - great manager ? That would be an interesting debate

Keegan may not have been a great manager but i have total respect for him for when he admitted that he wasnt up to the England job.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Keegan may not have been a great manager but i have total respect for him for when he admitted that he wasnt up to the England job.

Sadly, I see him as two faced having already told Fulham fans he wasn't taking the job and then walking out a few days later. As a player I enjoyed watching him but I wouldn't class his as a "great"

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Keegan may not have been a great manager but i have total respect for him for when he admitted that he wasnt up to the England job.

Yeah fair play to him for that

You also couldn't fault his philosophy when manager - he was all about entertaining and attacking - niave at times but good to watch

 

[Tongo]

Sadly, I see him as two faced having already told Fulham fans he wasn't taking the job and then walking out a few days later. As a player I enjoyed watching him but I wouldn't class his as a "great"

Expecting the football world to demonstrate morality really is a futile exercise.

 

[Golfmmad]

Depends what you mean by top player.

It would be stretching it to call Bobby Robson or Terry Venables as top players and Cloughie's playing career was cut short by injury.

I doubt that even Fergie himself would suggest that he had been a top player.

They were all decent but not top players.

On the contrary, that's exactly the reason why I didn't say great players. With the exception of Franz Beckenbauer and Jurgen Klinsmann who were indeed great players.

Have you forgotten that Robson, Clough and Venables all represented England - only top players get that opportunity.
I take your point though on Sir Alex Ferguson, but he certainly made up for it in his greatness as the best manager ever.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Expecting the football world to demonstrate morality really is a futile exercise.

I totally agree and I guess had it been any other club I wouldn't have been bothered in the slightest. Always hurts whenever a manager, player or owner of your own team says one thing and then goes and does something opposite

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Have you forgotten that Robson, Clough and Venables all represented England - only top players get that opportunity.
I take your point though on Sir Alex Ferguson, but he certainly made up for it in his greatness as the best manager ever.

Carlton Palmer, Michael Ricketts & Geoff Thomas all played for England.

You're not telling me that they were top players.

The three that you mention were, as I acknowledged, decent players but not, in my opinion and having seen them play, top players.

 

[Tongo]

Carlton Palmer, Michael Ricketts & Geoff Thomas all played for England.

You're not telling me that they were top players.

The three that you mention were, as I acknowledged, decent players but not, in my opinion and having seen them play, top players.

And Phil Neville got more caps for England than Glenn Hoddle. That tells you plenty about English football.

 

[Tongo]

Just found out that Phil Neville is Gary Neville's assistant at Valencia! Honestly, the nepotism is embarrassing.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

And Phil Neville got more caps for England than Glenn Hoddle. That tells you plenty about English football.

Funny thing with Hoddle is that (in general) the further North you travelled the less he was/is held in high regard.

Many thought of him as a bit of a luxury since if he was "pressed" he tended to drop deeper until he ultimately became ineffective.

Allowed space he was a terrific passer of the ball and scored the occasional great goal.

Mind you as a full-back I think you would have to admit that even Phil Neville was better!

P>S> I think Phil was already at Valencia before Gary's arrival.