Premier League - Neville blasts mollycoddled stars

PA Sport - Mon, 23 Nov 11:26:00 2009

Gary Neville has backed Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's assertion that many modern players are mollycoddled.

FOOTBALL 2009-10 Premier League Manchester United captain Gary Neville - 0

Ferguson said in a speech at a League Managers Association dinner last week players were "cocooned" by their agents and had become "fragile".

Neville, writing in the Sunday Times of Malta, said: "I completely agree with his sentiments. It is one of my pet hates when I see players who have agents that do everything for them. They don't know how to set up their own bank account, they don't know what they're spending their money on and they can't make their own decisions.

"Not every player is like that, but some are now totally dependent on agents and advisers. For me, life is an education and you learn things as you go through it.

"I think a footballer should sit down and negotiate with a club, even if his agent is sitting with him. It is in a player's best interests to be there and see what is going on. The idea of allowing someone to look after your financial and professional existence is something I cannot agree with. There are some agents who do a good job looking after players, but there are others who stifle and mollycoddle players.

"Every footballer needs an adviser at some point. But a player doesn't need to pay between five and 15% of his wages to a guy to set up a bank account, buy him a new fridge, or ask his club's chief executive for a pay rise."

PA Sport

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  1. nice pr gary,but your still a big nosed c..t.

    From BLIND BEGGER, on Tue 24 Nov 5:41AM
  2. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    "the sunday times of malta" gary is obviously­ gona retire soon and follow in the footsteps of another­ united hasbeen- paul parker

    From adz, on Mon 23 Nov 7:48PM

  3. ferguson didnt mind mollycoddling ronaldo when he was­ banging in the goals, how many strops did he let him­ away with that wouldnt be accepted from any of their­ average players.

    From adz, on Mon 23 Nov 7:45PM

  4. Man-Utd,so successful it even gets up SHEEPS BACKS. You­ silly scouse T.I.T(nocock)

    From selfpitycity, on Mon 23 Nov 7:00PM

  5. Gary has a lot to say for one who built both his club­ and international careers hiding behind the cover his­ friend David Beckham gave to him.

    Once DB went out of­ the picture, so did Neville - one pace and mostly­ reverse gears!

    From mambles, on Mon 23 Nov 5:28PM

  6. neville has been at united al his life, so why would he­ need an agent, up until 2 years ago he was a great­ right back, he was happy to be at united and unite were­ happy to have him, therefore he was never gonna demand­ a big wage and as such a devoted player to his club­ they were hardly ever gonna ffer him a not very good­ wage, whereas some people move cklubs neville so they­ need an agent

    From A, on Mon 23 Nov 5:25PM
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    neville should only show his face on halloween

    From Dazggmu paedo safe house resident, on Mon 23 Nov 3:54PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    misterb stands for mr @#$% fact

    From Dazggmu paedo safe house resident, on Mon 23 Nov 3:52PM
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    gary neville u will never be remembered in our history­ u @#$% head

    From Dazggmu paedo safe house resident, on Mon 23 Nov 3:51PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    this guy is totally rubbish i should know i play with­ him in many ways he is fergies 1st in line when he­ fancies slipping someone a length.he adores scouser he­ told me in bed 1 night.he was useless as captain glory­ boy and was selfish.he thought he was good looking but­ hey ho check out the pic i would hate to see wot his­ parents look like. this creature should not be walking­ the streets and should be locked up in a zoo.he was­ always slow and bottled tackles fact unlike his brother­ phil who likes a tackle in many ways and was always­ game for leaving his leg in

    From Dazggmu paedo safe house resident, on Mon 23 Nov 3:50PM

  11. koppite1973: "forgettable­ career"? Not a­ SINGLE player at Liverpool has won as much as Neville­ has in their careers. NOT ONE!
    I bet if you asked­ Gerrard if he would want to have the success that­ Neville has had he would say yes. Not a single league­ title to his name. Wake up you deluded little creature­ and stop being jealous of United's success.

    From MisterB, on Mon 23 Nov 3:24PM

  12. Well said Gary..These players need to see the real­ world..Learn how the working man is struggling due to­ the rich getting richer at the expense of the working­ man..They need to respect the game and not treat it­ like a cash cow..Sunny..M.

    From SUNNY, on Mon 23 Nov 2:51PM

  13. koppite1973 - I would hardly say winning 8 league­ championship medals, 3 fa cup winners medals, a league­ cup winners medal, 2 Champions league winners medals,­ an intercontinental champions medal, a FIFA world club­ cup winners medal, as well as being voted into the PFA­ team of the year 5 times and representing England 85­ times (a record for a right back) and Manchester United­ nearly 600 times, constitutes a forgettable career. And­ you lot always seem to know his name whenever he turns­ out at Anfield because of what he has said about­ Liverpool Football Club and their supporters in the­ past, and you saw fit to comment on this story anyway.­ So, what is so forgettable about Gary Neville's­ career then?

    From tiredofthegreed, on Mon 23 Nov 2:42PM

  14. Obviously Koppite is one the few people that­ doesn't know that Garry Neville does not and never­ has had an agent.

    From phil, on Mon 23 Nov 2:34PM
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    Gary Neville, pot, kettle...you dont see it but you are­ one of those mollycoddled footballers. You are in no­ position to whinge about anything. Or have your­ salaries been alot less than everyone else at your­ club? No, didn't think so. Me thinks you are after­ a backroom job under Fergie when your forgettable­ career comes to an end.

    From Koppite 1973, on Mon 23 Nov 1:57PM

  16. Sorry to say Gary, but you area dying breed. The­ modern-day players are surrounded by personal,­ business, marketing, PR agents/advisers so much that­ even statements are issued by agents. You know the­ direct result of all the pampering? The sudden increase­ in diving (simulation), and the awfully long time­ players spend on the ground feingning injury for every­ tackle, and by far the worse: months spent every season­ undergoing treatment for life-threatening­ 'injuries'. Barely 10-20 years fans used to­ applaud heroes and stars who who play week-in week-out­ for two or three seasons uninterrupted, getting­ involved with tackles, headers, goals, roughing up and­ still play in the European Championship and World cup.­ Nowadays, what do we have? The top strikers of the­ so-called big four cannot play for three months without­ treatment (Drogba, Rooney, Torres, Van Persie). And­ please nobody should give the excuse of playing more­ matches, because even if the teams do, these­ 'stars'dont!

    From Hotshot, on Mon 23 Nov 1:41PM

  17. Good point Gary-I think to have an agent as a football­ star is follish because they are just there to eat the­ players money and give some of them a wrong advice­ (blablablahblablabl)!

    From Raymond M. C.B, on Mon 23 Nov 12:47PM
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