Neville: I love England And United …
Telegraph: Despite his clean sweep of club silverware with Manchester United during a 14-year career, Gary Neville is painfully aware that international success with England remains elusive.
And, at 32, he is also aware that time is no longer on his side if he is to help England end the 42-year wait for a tournament victory.
Next summer’s European Championship finals, therefore, carry an increasing significance for a player who insists he would value a single winner’s medal far more than the individual achievement of joining the elite group of England players who have earned 100 caps. Not that Neville is aware of the approaching landmark, having to be reminded his tally stands at 85, although the defender is quick to point out the record books still show a dash in his ‘goals’ column.
“I’m driven by the fact that if you’ve played 85 times or 25 times and won a World Cup, the 25 caps mean more,” Neville adds. “The caps are just a number. Don’t get me wrong, having caps and the experiences and memories that come from that is good, but I’ve been brought up to win things. I’ve been brought up at a club where winning is everything.
“It [Euro 2008] might be my last chance of a winner’s medal. I’m doubly determined to play. In general fitness terms I feel absolutely fantastic, it’s just a case of getting rid of my current injury.”
Neville, who has spent a frustrating summer recovering from ankle surgery and was not considered for selection for Wednesday’s friendly against Germany at Wembley, knows his international ambitions could be thwarted prematurely if England fail to improve on the stuttering displays that marred coach Steve McClaren’s first year in charge and have left qualification for the climax to the European Championship in doubt.
It is possible the visit by Germany could again prove to be a catalyst for intense soul-searching with McClaren’s position likely to come under renewed scrutiny if his side fail to build on the improved recent showings against Brazil and Estonia and fall to another depressing defeat at the hands of their historic rivals.
Neville, though, believes the coach has overseen the worst of a bedding-in period that reached its nadir when England were jeered from the pitch following a goalless first half against Andorra last March, scenes that left the defender “disgusted” at the venom directed towards McClaren and his players by sections of the travelling support.
“I think things have turned the corner,” he says. “In the past when we have got an England manager, we seem to have had a honeymoon period of 12 months and then our performances have got progressively worse. But it may be a better way to do it that we grow and progress.
“We have found things difficult over the last 12 months because we have had a period of transition and we have had some difficult results at times. Steve brought in a lot of new young players and new ideas, so he went backwards to go forwards maybe and I hope that it’s a more natural progression.”
Neville intends to remain a part of that transition and the right-back has no intention of following team-mates Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs into international retirement.
“I always said that whilst I’m playing well for United and the England manager is picking me, I will turn up and be available because I don’t believe I’m in a position to be able to retire,” he adds.
”Each to their own, I’ve got team-mates who have retired from international football and I get on great with them. We all have our own opinions and reasons and you make a decision about what’s right for yourself. Ultimately I’m making a decision about what’s right for me and those lads are doing the same. You live or die by the decision and choices you have made in your career.”
Focusing on his own situation, he says: “I’m playing for United and I’m English, I could prolong my career by what, an extra six months, a year? Well no, I’d rather play for England if I’m good enough to play for England.
”I love playing for United and I would never want to cut my United career short. But if I ever reached the stage when I genuinely thought playing for England was affecting my club career, I would look at it seriously and consult with the England manager and the United manager.
”At this moment in time, though, it hasn’t arisen and I’m doubly determined to play for England as many times as I can, but more so to win something with England. That might affect my thinking. I don’t think I have achieved anything with England yet.
