Inter Miami manager Phil Neville has delivered an extraordinary press conference after his son was booed after coming on as a substitute during the club’s most recent defeat and has since been sacked.
What did Phil Neville say about his son?
Having just won just two of their last 13 games, David Beckham’s MLS franchise team haven’t really been enjoying the best spell of form of late. As a result, they sit last in the division, having tasted defeat in ten of 15 matches so far.
The latest blow came this week when a single goal from Tom Barlow was enough to see New York Red Bulls pick up all three points away from home, despite later having a man sent off.
During the game, with ten minutes to go, Neville opted to bring his son Harvey on but this seemed to enrage the Miami home crowd as they booed loudly and jeered every time he touched the ball.
In reaction to that lack of support for his son, 46-year-old Neville came out swinging in his most recent press conference, telling his own fans to hurl abuse at him but never to waiver in support for the club’s younger players.
Speaking to the press (via Football Daily), he said: “I’ve been at this football club for two and a half years, I’ve been really lucky with the support that I’ve had from everybody, from top to bottom and from in the stands. So [for] that, I feel really fortunate.
“And I would say to the supporters… it sounds a little bit bullish, but please just come for me. You know, support the team, support the young boys, the young boys are going to be there.
“You think about the young boys on the pitch at the end given everything, that’s what this football club is going to be built around. Those young players, this academy is going to be the foundation of this football club.
“Don’t kill one of our own, don’t knock one of our own. Just come for me. You know, if you’re unhappy, hit the manager. Don’t go for one of my boys, don’t go for one of my young kids because that hurts. That’s personal.”
Why does Harvey Neville play for Inter Miami?
Harvey made his debut at the end of the previous season and has now made ten MLS outings so far this term, starting just two games – while he first signed a two-year deal with the club last August.
Perhaps, some fans are unhappy because they think this is a show of nepotism from Miami’s manager. In fairness to that theory, his son has only ever played for any other senior side, while he also played for the Valencia and Manchester United youth teams – where Phil coached in the past too.
It’s hard enough to win over the home crowd if you keep losing home games. If you then go and bring your own unestablished son onto the pitch, it’s hardly going to help the situation.
All in all, it’s no great shock that Beckham got involved as his former teammate was fired. The former England captain released a statement.
He said: “When we appointed Phil we knew he would give Inter Miami his all and I have watched him work incredibly hard and with real commitment towards the ambitions we set out for the club.
“He and his family embraced Miami and he has devoted himself to the drive to bring success to the city and to our fans. Phil has made a real contribution to the culture of our club with his qualities as a leader and knowledge as a coach.
“Sometimes in this game we have to make the toughest decisions and sadly we feel the time is right to make a change. I want to personally thank Phil for his hard work, his passion for our club and for his integrity as a person.”