HE may be regarded as an unsung hero by his team-mates. But Phil Neville’s leadership qualities have not gone unnoticed by his manager.
Now David Moyes believes the Everton skipper can extend his career in football long after he hangs up his boots for good.
Moyes reckons the experience and character of Neville has been an integral feature in the Goodison outfit’s impressive run of form during recent months.
Such is his versatility, Neville has played at right-back and central midfield for long spell of the campaign and impressed on the right flank last week in the 3-1 FA Cup win against Aston Villa after injuries decimated Moyes’s resources.
Phil Jagielka this week hailed the contribution of Neville and declared the 32-year-old former Manchester United man is improving with age.
And Moyes is confident a career in management is beckoning for the former England international.
“I think that Phil Neville has all the attributes to go on and be a top coach,” he says. “I know that top players – and he’s definitely one of those – sometimes don’t make managers, but he has all the qualities required.
“I don’t think you can underestimate the influence he has had on the run we’ve had, and the influence he has on the squad.
“What he does often goes unnoticed, but he has played a major, major part in what we have achieved, because he shows the rest of the players what has been required.
“He’s been at a club that has won things, and he knows what it takes to do that. He is a professional in everything he does, and he makes sure we do it the right way.
“He has been there at the players all the time, making sure we don’t get above ourselves, we don’t get carried away.
“He knows more than anything that you get nothing for a pat on the back in February. To win something you have to keep your consistency right through to May, and he works hard on getting that through to the squad.
“I can see him being a coach at Everton when he finishes. He’s got plenty of years playing left in him, because he has always looked after himself, but he could become a coach here.
“He’s already doing his coaching badges this year, and that’s a good sign. He has the knowledge, the experience and the right approach, and he has the right attitude and commitment required to stay involved in football.”
Everton will aim for a fourth successive victory when they travel to Newcastle United tomorrow afternoon.
Moyes’s side have lost just three of their last 21 games to progress to the FA Cup quarter-finals and cement their place in the top six.
Given an already small squad has been stretched by injury and ineligibility, the Goodison manager regards the recent run of form as among the best achievements of his time at the club.
But there remains a sense of regret at a poor start to the campaign from which Moyes believes lessons must be learned.
“We have done remarkably well this season, and in some ways I would say under the circumstances it has been our best achievement so far,”
