Arsene Wenger has sung the praises of Gary Neville after the announcement of his retirement yesterday, claiming that his motivation sets him apart from others and that players should look to him as a example for what they can achieve.
“A huge career and fantastic achievements, that is what he has done,” said Wenger. “I respect a lot what he has done because he was certainly not one of the most talented players in the league but what he has achieved is consistency. His record is down to intelligence and motivation – he is an example to players who are maybe less gifted than the Giggs and the Beckhams but still make a fantastic career because they are intelligent and highly-motivated. They deserve a great credit. He was the best English right back, certainly – if you look at his record, he has won absolutely everything and the number of games he has played, he is without a doubt the best.”
Man Utd News 24/7
Amen to that
Don’t know about you, but that has caught me by surprise! (Arsene’s comments, that is, as well as The Nev’s mid-season decision). I feel all warm and fuzzy….
wenger has praised giggs, becham ang scholes as well. so nothing new.
credit/critic where ity is due. stop being petty minded.
Gary Neville. Living Legend!
To anyone who disagrees. Are you even a tenth of the Red that Gaz is? If the answer is no, you are an insignificant selfish sour sycophant who pretends to love United to gain friends.
Gary Neville has given his life to United. Gary Neville is a legend.
nothing better than having someone from a rivalry side to sing his praises, In Arsene we trust! great player and devotion to a club. Loyal = Neville
Deserves all the praise been a model pro,I’m sure his next step will be a success very determined individual
Christ, never expected that from Arsene. Great respect all round
Yes never expected that from arse, good .
I have said on here that this season will see Fergie making many decisions on many careers at Manutd.
So far the 4 Pillars: VDS, Scholes,Gary,Giggs: VDS and Gary retire at the end of the season and Scholes / Giggs have one more year.
This is going to be an emotional season,it will build up till the Final game I hope will be at Wembley for VDS and Gary at his testimonial.
If we do well this year Gary’s testimonial will be awesome.
Oh yeah! I take everything anyone says with a bucket of salt. Arsenal fans coming on talk sport complaining that Pires was kicked out of British football by Neville. Now does Wenger actually respect Gary Neville the footballer. Does he as a frenchman like anyone who acts like a shop stuard and involves himself people issues – so does he like the man that is Gary Neville. Is he thankfull to Gary Neville because he himself hated Pires and his whinging ways – it did afterall raise a large ammount of cash – and hes glad Pires pissed off. Or is the french XXXX leading up to an attack on “dirty” Rafeal and how he has alot to live up to.
Dont trust him. FRENCH fullstop.
@ GoatinaUnitedShirt : Me thinks this goat no make chesse for frenchy,must be english ,stubborn bulldog breed.
@GoatinaUnitedShirt: arses be carefull this wee goat gonna headbutt yr arses ,so wear some heavy condoms.
@smart alex
You’ve covered all bases there mate….lol
He is a true Legend in every sense of the word…
“Meet Danny, he’s 18 and he’s won the league”
Gary Introducing Mikey Owen to Welbeck
@Dave Malaysia
Once you get past the occasional daft comment that Wenger makes, he is actually very fair and intelligent with his comments, especially if you look for the full interview instead of the headlines on football websites.
@United: Agree to a point. arsene full interviews or just comments, for me shows an arrogant french aristrocrat with his nose in the air.
he has changed for sure and i dun like the peado calls and some of that stuff .
And one important point is when i watch greats speak of Fergie and arse,they always smile and talk about Fergies achiveiments and also about the man but with arse its always about the achievements not much on the man.
Red Devil I am a base jumper!
Anyone that submits negative comments on Gary Neville does not deserve to the title of
‘Manchester United Supporter’
@GoatinaUnitedShirt- take it you dont like the french then ha ha
Fined 15000 pounds for his famous celebrations against the Pool fans, money well spent!
Then he hit back at the FA saying they want players to be like robots………. LEGEND
I understand Steve Bruce and Arsne Wenger’s praise for Gary Neville however to say “He was never the most talented” is utter bollocks! To be scouted in the 1st place by United says you HAVE got talent . He must of obviously stood out from the crowd way back when he was a teenager! Plus to keep hold of the Right-Back spot for so long and win England caps and be named Captain of United suggests to me he does have talent, so I HALF agree with Wenger’s comments. So many players from the Youth team didn’t progress but Neville did – To me you are a legend and it was just like having a supporter on the pitch player. Thanks for the badge kissing, opposing crowd enticement and contribution to our silverware Gaz, just like us supporters, YOU ARE RED TO THE CORE!
@GoatinaUnitedShirt putting paid to rumours of xeonphobia in the game.
Well I think Bruce was comparing him to the rest of the class of 92, so to call him the least talented of that crazy bunch is fair enough. Red Nev had a beast of a cross though, can remember quite a few gems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-481ff3OGqU
no dark side to neville ??
Arsene Wenger usually talks like this. What I am amazed about is that no one in the media is doing their usual thing and taking selected comments out of context and slapping a damning headline on it like they usually do.
What you normally get is something like:
SOUR GRAPES WENGER SLAMS “TALENTLESS” NEVILLE
In a war of words likely to infuriate old foe Sir Alex Ferguson, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said about Gary Neville, “He was certainly not one of the most talented players in the league.” And in a cheap jibe, the Frenchman indicated exactly what category Neville belongs in; “He is an example to players who are maybe less gifted.” Neville made 602 appearances for United – perhaps Wenger did not see it.
Just wondering what made him retire so suddenly? We could have certainly done with his experience in the Champions League, especially where teams do not employ wide fast wingers..
No no no no no Arsene
He is of the dark side
Elvis is The Sun! The Mail aire embodied.
Wondering what he would have to say about Scholesy when he retires.
But good comment from Wenger
Gnev should have retired at the end of the season after lifting the 19th title for/with Manchester United.
Gaurav,
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that he retired just at the time Sky Sports is looking for a new pundits on
match analysis and tactics… watch that space, it could be interesting.
petemanc – Was thinking EXACTLY the same regarding his talent pal. Even though Wenger looks to be praising him, which he is to an extent , there is a still a backhanded insult. Better than any Arsenal right back of the last 10-15 years. Fucking Sagna?
9 minutes of the 32 minute Gary retiring interview
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Features/2011/Feb/Video-Neville-interview.aspx
‘News of United’s FA Cup fifth round tie against Crawley Town: the game will be played on Saturday 19 February at 17:15 GMT.’ ex manutd . com
Is Arsen feeling ok? Jesus.
I heard that Gary decided to step away because he is not on the 25man CL squad. Don’t have a link to check, but that is what I heard.
Legend. Quality. Statements about “not the best” are just inappropriate at a time like this. All you have to do is talk about 5 things.
602 games for Manchester United.
Played for Uniteds First team for 18 years, and was first choice RB for 12.
More trophies than any other RB living or dead.
His most enduring qualities were his intelligence, positioning and graft.
He hated Scousers.
Fuck off whinger, with your back handed compliments.
FletchTHEMAN heard from a lying cunt that ‘Gary decided to step away because he is not on the 25man CL squad’
He isn’t in that squad because Sir Alex knew that Gary would not continue to the end of the season. Neville is on the Prem squad, named hours before he resigned. I believe that is so that we don’t have to name his replacement now. Last year, after Wayne’s injury against Bayern, then Owen, we needed to add. This year we have that option.
Hes technically better and more succesful then any player arsenal have ever had, though I doubt wenger has the class to admit this.
smartalex. Like your explanation better!
As to trophies, Did Gary play enough games to pick of a prem winners medal if we take the league this year?
Think he has played in only 3 prem matches and one carling cup match this year.
Don’t know the ins and outs of the the rules. Doubt he will be on the pitch to lift #19 if he doesn’t earn the medal as well. Anyone know the details here??
KE — haha Sagna is a quality right back mate! I would rate him second in the prem, behind only our Brazilian prodigy
FletchTHEMAN
‘The League Champions shall further receive 21 commemorative medals to be presented by
the Club to its Manager and to such of its Players and Officials as it thinks fit provided, in the
case of a Player, that he has that Season played in a minimum of 10 of its League Matches.
Additional medals may be presented with the consent of the Board.’
http://www.premierleague.com/staticFiles/7a/20/0,,12306~139386,00.pdf
gooner says:
wenger has praised giggs, becham ang scholes as well. so nothing new.
credit/critic where ity is due. stop being petty minded
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Not being petty, you thin -skinned dick- Arsene quite amuses me, in fact. I put it to you that kind words about The Nevster are a tiny bit more unexpected from Arsene than the same about the other lads. Nev being Nev, and all that. But I take your general point, Arsene is a saint of a man etc wetc et
Smartalex. Cheers mate.
Thought it was 10.
The commemorative medals just are not the same thing to a player, but appropriate in this case.
‘arry remora on becks
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6720491,00.html
hmmm. thanks Wenger, but saying “no talent but good brain” sounds a lot like “she’s ugly but got a good personality”…
I really don’t know what some are complaining about.
Of the countless RBs you could name, GNev still makes some peoples top 10.
I wouldn’t say no to Carlos Alberto, but for goodness sake, this is high high praise for Red Nev.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/126788-greatest-ever-football-the-top-ten-right-backs-of-all-time
Of these, most were only successful at country level.
For me, Gary won more and played longer, than most on this list. Can’t compare a 35 year old to a 28 year old but Gary had more trophies then any of the lot even stopping the count at 30.
FletchTHEMAN – Cafu is the best right back I’ve seen in my life time. Zannetti would be up there as well, but in terms of English right backs, RedNev is the best since the premiership started in 92.
Lee Dixon was a better all round player. Supports Man City as well.
Elvis – You’re all shook up!
MEMO TO ASRSENE WENGER….
You may well praise Gary Neville, but he fucking hates you, you french cunt…… and your fucking shite team.
Oops sorry …. Redness no longer applies
Bet Wenger wasnt saying that about GNev, when he kicked Reyes off the pitch in the
first minute of the cup tie in 2003, bloody funny that was, even though we lost.
wenger is nobodies fool (except Alec)
from a managers perspective you’d give your left arm for a right back like Neville.
fit, consistent and loyal (sounds like my missus lol)
ALL HAIL REDNEV !!!!!