Gary Neville was the most annoying player in world football
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Gary Neville was the most annoying player in world football... and also one of the greatest!
Jumped up: But Neville was a player every fan wanted in his own team
The moment I woke up in New York on Wednesday and discovered Gary Neville had retired, I hit Twitter with the first words that came to mind: ‘Farewell to the most annoying player in the history of world football.’
Within seconds I was bombarded with abuse from Manchester United fans all over the world and congratulations from fans of every other team. And there, in the proverbial nutshell, is the dichotomy that is Gary Neville.
Loved by his own, despised by everyone else. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
My own hatred of the rat-faced weasel ran so deep that the mere sight of him would make me come out in blazing boils of fury.
As his former colleague, Jaap Stam, so memorably observed in those ill-fated memoirs a few years ago, Gary and brother Phil were ‘a pair of busy little ****s’. And the Dutchman didn’t mean they were always occupied.
From the moment Neville walked out on the pitch, puffing out his small chest like a stunted peacock, he’d irritate me. He was like the worst kind of office block shop steward.
An officious little numpty with delusions of grandeur, a haughty overestimation of his own talents and a relentless ability to wind everybody up at all times with his sheer presence.
Every brawl Arsenal ever had with United involved Neville. But he always played the role of ‘hooligan spotter’ — the spotty kid who set up the fight, then scurried away to let the bigger boys scrap it out.
Who can forget him exchanging verbals with Patrick Vieira in the tunnel (over Neville’s appalling treatment of Jose Antonio Reyes), then begging Roy Keane to help him out?
He was there, too, when ‘Pizzagate’ erupted and during both the Ruud van Nistelrooy/Martin Keown on-pitch battles — sneering, spitting and shouting like a particularly virulent puff adder.
Arsenal had it easy, though. Neville was even more annoying against Liverpool, where he seemed to pride himself on being the Most Hated Man in Anfield History.
Every time the old rivals played each other, he’d pop up in the papers goading and taunting the Scousers in an admittedly rather admirable, yet reckless, disregard for his own life.
The Kop would scream abuse at him for 90 minutes, and he’d return the favour with bells on. And he’d be even worse in the home legs.
Witness the day when he sprinted from the halfway line at Old Trafford to celebrate a 90th-minute winner from Rio Ferdinand right in front of the small Liverpool contingent?
He was fined for ‘improper conduct’ but protested afterwards, asking if it was preferable for players to become ‘emotionless robots’.
And then there were the goal celebrations. Every time United ever scored, Neville would charge like a demented rhinoceros to his successful colleague and jump on his back, arms punching the air — thus ensuring his own ugly mug would be splattered all over the papers the next day.
This diabolical show-stealing display would be ruined only if his equally camera-hungry mate, David Beckham, got there first. Sometimes you could actually see them fighting each other to get on their striker’s back.
As a player, Neville was like a Jack Russell with worms, constantly nipping at people’s ankles, foaming at the mouth and raging at anyone trying to discipline him.
The centre of attention: Neville pushes Patrick Vieira away from Ruud van Nistelrooy
His behaviour towards referees was shockingly bad, regularly hurling foulmouthed abuse at the man in black. Often because the official had just had the gall to send off his beloved Keano for butting some opponent.
So my gut reaction, as communicated to the world of Twitter, was absolutely accurate. I genuinely do believe that Gary Neville was the most annoying player in the history of world football.
But the truth, the awful, sickening truth, is that Neville is also one of the greatest players in the history of world football.
Not technically. I don’t agree with Arsene Wenger that Neville was even the best Premier League right-back ever. As Keown said last week, Lee Dixon could do everything he could but was a better positional full-back.
No, I mean in regard to the virtues that are so sorely missing in the modern-day game — loyalty, passion, dedication, hard work and commitment.
Neville played 602 games for United in 20 years. He never played for anyone else. He never even thought about it. And he played 85 times for England.
Ferocious: Wayne Rooney and Neville get close in England training
He was renowned for the ferocity and intensity of his training. For him, there was never ‘practice.’ If a colleague came under fire, he was always there to defend him.
And off the pitch, he was a good ambassador in terms of personal behaviour. Not for him the vagaries of the drunken, drug-fuelled, womanising night-clubbing scene.
If I’m honest, I wish we’d had more players like Gary Neville at Arsenal.
Men of steel with the team badge metaphorically tattooed on their hearts. Men who would fight to the last drop of their blood.
Men who never contemplated defeat until it actually happened. And men who understand what it takes to win and to keep winning.
Gary Neville won eight Premier Leagues, three FA Cups, two League Cups and one Champions League. All while being a serial pain in the backside.
The greatest accolade I can pay him today, as an Arsenal fan, is that I will miss him like I’d miss a large rusty nail stuck in my forehead.
And I know when he reads this, he will smile to himself and — rightly — think: ‘Job done.’
Piers-Morgan -
what's the big deal with this guy ???
not lousy but definitely not great lah....................
not as if he's as awesome as Nigel Winterburn, Paul Dixon or Stuart Pierce...............those were the really good English full-backs..................
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HES FOR SURE HAS BIGGER COCK THAN YOU
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he looks like hitler with the mustache
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The loyal hero who truly loved his club, Gary Neville was a beacon of hope in dark days. By Oliver Holt
English football was going to hell. Everybody said so. Demented and crazed, bloated with money, puffed up with self-regard, dancing all the way down to the darkness.
In the madness of the last days of the January transfer window, heroes turned their backs on supporters as dismissively as a banker brushing away a beggar.
Fernando Torres and Darren Bent waltzed away from bewildered fans in Liverpool and Sunderland with barely a backward glance.
In what is supposed to be an age of austerity, Premier League clubs splurged more than £130million on players in a single day.
Agents rubbed their hands with glee, players ordered Baby Bentleys all round and the rest of the world shielded its eyes from a grotesque show of consumption.
And then, on Wednesday evening, Gary Neville announced his retirement from the game.
One man cannot redeem an entire sport, but Neville’s news was at least a reminder that, amid the fecklessness, there is still a noble side to our beautiful game.
Because, in the 19 years he played for Manchester United, Neville stood for all that is good about the game in this country.
He stood for loyalty. Loyalty to his team and his team-mates. He only ever played for United. He only ever wanted to play for United.
He did not have an agent. He never sought offers from other clubs to try to get more money out of his club.
Wayne Rooney threatened to leave United earlier this season and it worked. He got a new contract and more money. The price he paid was that United fans will never love him now like they love Neville. They will never think quite the same of him again.
When Neville kissed the club badge on his shirt, he meant it. He loved the club.
And it was not the kind of love that only lasted until a better offer came along.
He played 602 times for United. He never threatened to move. He never asked to leave. He felt grateful for the privileged life he led.
He also treated his team-mates like brothers. When Rio Ferdinand was accused of missing a drugs test, Neville believed the charge was unjust. Even though he knew he would be vilified, he threatened to lead the England team out on strike in support of his friend, an action that earned him the nickname Red Nev.
Neville stood for dedication, too. He was totally committed to the game, the first on the training pitch and the last off it.
Although not the most gifted player, he worked so hard that he became the best full-back of his generation.
He stood for selflessness. When he made errors in recent matches against Stoke and West Brom, he realised his time was up. Rather than hanging on for an emotional last hurrah at Old Trafford in front of the fans who adored him, he quit straight away.
He also stood for respect for the public. He was not a brawler or a biter or a roaster or a party animal. He was never pictured staggering out of a club at 6am.
Even when he was a victim of one of Ferdinand’s World Cup Wind-Ups in 2006, even though he did not know he was on film, he refused to give an autograph to a policeman in return for being excused a speeding fine. “You can’t buy me,” he told the spoof copper.
He stood for excellence. He won the Champions League in 1999. He won eight league titles. He earned 85 caps for England and played in two World Cups.
Neville stood for things that people wrongly say have been lost to the game. He was proof that there are still plenty of footballers we can point to as worthy of our children’s hero worship.
He was proof that, amid all the stuff and nonsense, there are still plenty of players out there who are true to the traditions of the game.
There are still players for whom some things are more important than money.
It is also worth mentioning Gary’s brother, Phil – who is also the epitome of selflessness and quiet professionalism.
Phil Neville is the captain of Everton, but last week was the subject of a bid from Tottenham.
It was an attractive offer - a better wage than the one he is on at Everton, and it would have allowed Phil, 34, one last shot at the glory of Champions League football.
If he had stamped his feet, as plenty of others would have, Spurs' bid might have succeeded.
But Phil has too much respect for Everton’s fans and manager, David Moyes. When Tottenham’s bid was rejected on transfer deadline day, Phil accepted the situation without fuss.
What makes the Neville brothers so important is that in this football age of unchecked celebrity and rampant narcissism, they stand for the team ahead of the individual.
They embody the essence of team sport, the idea of combining talent and effort.
So when Gary Neville decided a couple of weeks ago he was going to quit, his original plan was to avoid doing it this week.
He was concerned that his announcement would detract from the build-up to England’s match against Denmark next Wednesday night.
Well, he was wrong. His announcement could not have been better timed.
When we were tempted to despair for English football, it reminded us that all is not yet lost.
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Originally posted by Asromanista2001:
what's the big deal with this guy ???
not lousy but definitely not great lah....................
not as if he's as awesome as Nigel Winterburn, Paul Dixon or Stuart Pierce...............those were the really good English full-backs..................
not disrespect to them.. they are from different eras.
and humbly, I do believe on a team base, Gary may have won more and hence achieved more on the footballing sense, if I am not wrong.
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Originally posted by iceFatboy:
not disrespect to them.. they are from different eras.
and humbly, I do believe on a team base, Gary may have won more and hence achieved more on the footballing sense, if I am not wrong.
those players i named are from earlier times but not that far back mah..................Neville definitely NOWHERE near as good as those guys................
he was not bad................and just plain lucky to be in a strong team...............
back in the late 80's................Neville will never make it to the England team............
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Originally posted by Asromanista2001:
those players i named are from earlier times but not that far back mah..................Neville definitely NOWHERE near as good as those guys................
he was not bad................and just plain lucky to be in a strong team...............
back in the late 80's................Neville will never make it to the England team............
U must be kidding me... in his prime, I think he is a match for any.
and yes, dixon and etc, are also in a strong team with adam, keown... pls la..
goon..
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those guys i named got more class than Neville lah................
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to be fair Gary overlapping and crosses are his strongest points, defensively he is suspect, but he works hard from the way he runs.
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Originally posted by Asromanista2001:
those guys i named got more class than Neville lah................
my ass la... U are a horse with blinds, I won't blame you.
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i concur..
he is one of the most annoying players ever.. but because of that, he is able to mess up the opponents who are so filled with hatred for him, it is hard for them to concentrate on their game...
he'll be missed.. even if we are less annoyed without him around...
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Well, what can you say... He was the most cap England right-back even to this day... I think that said enough...
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becoz England defence jialat liao.........
if you look at England in 1990...........players like Neville can be reserve at the most........