Everton captain says he has lots of years left
One by one, the careers of Manchester United’s golden generation are coming to a close. But Phil Neville, who will captain Everton FC in an exhibition against D.C. United on Saturday, is certain he’s not finished.
“We’re part of a group that are all grouped together, and you think to yourself, who’s going to be next?” the 34-year-old defender said upon his arrival for the first time to Washington on Thursday. “I’m the youngest of them all, so hopefully I play for as long as I can. I feel so fit at the moment, and most importantly I’m enjoying it.”
The famous sextet of Neville, his older brother Gary, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes burst onto the scene together, capturing the FA Youth Cup in 1992. Multiple Premier League titles quickly followed, and they cemented their legacy later with the “treble,” winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 1999.
In the dozen years since, the ways of top-flight soccer sent them in different directions, with the miles and minutes eventually taking their toll.
Although David Beckham is still with Los Angeles, and the 37-year-old Giggs, who comes to Washington with Manchester United next week, is an ageless wonder. Butt retired at the end of the 2009-10 season, and Gary Neville called it quits in February. Paul Scholes announced his retirement in May, and Phil was invited to play in his tribute match on Aug. 5 but can’t because he has a match.
| UP NEXT |
| D.C. United vs. Everton FC |
| When » Saturday, 7:30 |
| Where » RFK Stadium |
| TV » Fox Soccer |
“Scholes is one of my best friends in football,” Neville said. “He’s the godfather to my children. Obviously, I wanted to play, but Everton comes first.”
Neville knows that his seventh season with the Toffees since leaving Manchester United is an important one. Unusual results in the Carling Cup and FA Cup denied Everton a place in European competitions despite a seventh-place finish in the Premier League.
“It’s all relative,” Neville said. “For Man United, it’s trophies. For Everton, it’s top five, top six. … Last year we finished seventh, so for me, that is success, too.”
Neville has taken a similarly positive approach with the extraordinary heat in Washington, saying it’s to be expected in preseason and that it makes things easier when the players return to England. It’s all part of his affinity for the United States.
“I just think that the way they do things, I love the attention to deal with facilities and everything,” Neville said. “It’s something that when my career’s finished or just at the end, I could see myself coming out here and enjoying my time.”
