He hates Scousers: Neville's United connections could deny him new fans on the TV screensNext season the footballer that everyone except Manchester United fans loves to hate will be on our screens every week giving us his informed view on Premier League Football.
This week’s confirmation of Gary Neville’s appointment as Sky’s premier pundit is bound to be a talking point. To the red half of Manchester and the pockets of glory-hunting twenty somethings scattered around the land he is a hero, a man who personified the spirit and drive that led United to such success throughout his career.
To everybody else he is a rat-faced scary little man who’s dad’s first name is the same as his surname and while staying loyal, was an ordinary player who goaded supporters, provoked hate and in reality they all prefer Phil because he left Man United and went to a nice club like Everton.
You can guess which side I’m on. But nevertheless we are going to see Neville playing Jamie Redkanpp’s role when Harry’s son is playing on his Wii, filming A League of Their Own or walking through sprinklers in Marks and Spencer adverts. He will be the Manc to Jamie’s Liverpool, the solid black Primark suit to Jamie’s shiny silver M&S freebie and the ugly truth to Jamie’s beautiful features.
At least Neville’s face will be one that most fans under 30 will recognise on the pitch. Before “linogate” Andy Gray was becoming part of the furniture and was more known for his “take a bow son” and “yoouuu beauty” comments than he was for his days with the likes of Wolves, Everton and Aston Villa. With Neville you get someone else who has lived the modern game, a far cry from ‘70s and ‘80s football, and been at the forefront of title challenges and Champions League campaigns during the last ten years. In that respect viewers can trust what he says.
And he is a Manchester United fan. If we didn’t know it already from his attitude on the pitch, he showed the same, rather scary, facial expressions sitting in the stands watching his old team mates rather than the comfort of an executive box.
Neville will also provide opinions. An outspoken bloke with a widespread reputation for Scouser-hating, what he thinks is bound to get up people’s noses but that gets football fans talking. Prepare for a truck-load of pub conversations starting with: “Did you hear what that prick Neville said on Sky yesterday ….”
There is no doubt that he is not as loveable as Jamie, or maybe as Andy Gray. Jamie was not a one-club man so does not attract such a partisan following whereas Neville gives the impression that he sweats United and hates everyone else, so why would anyone else listen to him?
Neville’s chance to succeed and win over the viewing public will be to provide not just interesting punditry but memorable quotes and dodgy clothes. At least the curtains hair style and scraggly goatee stands him in good stead and who knows, in ten year’s time he could be a national treasure. Except in Liverpool.
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