It is pertinent that when Gary Neville joined Sky as their chief match analyst in 2012 that his first task was to interview Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini via video-link.
"I bet you never thought you’d be talking to me," the recently-retired full-back said before laughing nervously. Mancini smiled back, polite but inscrutable. As a manager, such things are sent to test them.
From the off, Neville was acutely aware of his reputation on taking a job that surprised many and appalled the rest.
Not only was he a Manchester United legend, making over 400 appearances for them no less, but his fan-on-the-pitch passion for the club exceeded that of all others.
He was known to have a healthy disregard for Liverpool, Arsenal and City. He was known as Mr Manchester United. The betting odds on him remaining neutral therefore felt long indeed.
To address this however, and to his considerable credit, Neville went to great pains to be neutral, and also to his considerable credit, has been ever since.
🗣️ "Even though they spent £600 million, I looked at every department of the team and though they still need to get a lot better." 😬
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 3, 2023
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher break down Chelsea's performance and formation against Fulham 🧐 pic.twitter.com/KmuzCjoRJA
Whether on commentary duties or in the studio doing Monday Night Football, he is critical of United when criticism is warranted.
More impressively, and not even through gritted teeth, he has praised Liverpool and City to the hilt on many occasions.
Added to the fact that he never talked down to viewers, refusing to simplify his thoughts but instead offer scholarly insight into every aspect of the game, and it didn’t take long before Gary Neville came to be widely regarded as one of the best football pundits out there.
Arguably, he is one of the best there has ever been.
Four years into his successful career switch, Sky then made another newsworthy signing in the form of Jamie Carragher and before we highlight why the ex-Liverpool defender is not a patch on Neville as a pundit, it’s only fair to detail one area in which he excels.
In his retrospective analysis of games and circumstances, there are few better than the 45-year-old in breaking down how a match was won or lost, a player’s performance, or even explaining how a club has nosedived into crisis.
He breaks down the details expertly and merges them well with personal opinion. Fifteen minutes in his company, with a Skypad at hand, amounts to an education.
Regrettably, what has always let Carragher down is his refusal to follow Neville’s lead in wearing his club allegiance lightly, to ideally detach himself from it and diligently seek out instead neutrality.
In his commentary he speaks excitedly and overtly as a Liverpool supporter, failing to hide his delight when a direct rival of the Reds concedes a goal, thus improving his team’s title odds in the football betting.
Doing this diminishes his integrity and chips away at his authority. Bluntly, at times, he comes across with a mic in his hand as a competition winner, plucked from the Kop.
In the studio it is much the same, and perhaps with an admirable sense of self-awareness, it’s worth noting how often he offers up an opinion but feels the need to preface it with a caveat akin to the following – ‘And this is not because I’m a Liverpool fan but…’
Gary Neville would never have to say such a thing because he has our respect. Over the years, he has earned it.
FIRST PUBLISHED: 8th February 2023
