Source: Telegraph
Everton's Phil Neville makes case for British managers
Everton v Aston VillaKick-off: Sun Feb 15, 2.30pm; Goodison Park, LiverpoolTV: Setanta Sports 1Radio: BBC Radio 5 Live [LNB]Keegan, Ince, Adams, Ramos and Scolari have been sacked; Curbishley and Keane resigned; Benitez is refusing to sign a new contract; Hughes and Wenger have underachieved; Bruce has lost his best players; the rest live in dread of demotion. [LNB]There are two exceptions though, managers who have guided their clubs to unreserved success this season: David Moyes and Martin O'Neill. So why is it, with Chelsea in the market for a permanent manager this summer, these two are ignored? [LNB]Everton meet Aston Villa in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, looking to supplement their impressive league performances – they sit third and sixth respectively – with a run to Wembley. Why is it that when top Premier League jobs become available, the first instinct is to look abroad? It is a question that infuriates Phil Neville, the Everton captain, who sees the likes of Juande Ramos and Luiz Felipe Scolari arrive with much bombast about the mystique of foreign methods, only to leave months later, chewed up by the intensity of English football. [LNB]"They think the grass is greener," Neville said of clubs' recruitment policies. "You've seen that at Chelsea with Scolari. A fantastic manager at international level, but the Premiership is a totally different kettle of fish. That is why we are so lucky. You look at O'Neill's record – it is no coincidence that he goes to Celtic and Aston Villa, and straight away they get success. [LNB]"You ask any Villa or Everton fan, they put a lot of that success down to the manager. It is pretty ignorant really that when the top jobs come round, like the Chelsea job now, and these two don't get mentioned. You can put both managers, Moyes and O'Neill, into the equation. You are looking for success, continuity, you are looking for someone who has done it over a number of years, and you can put them both in that category. [LNB]''We still, particularly at the top level, keep looking abroad for managers that come in and realistically are only going stay for two or three years. Regardless of success, they only have a two or three-year lifespan. We have a manager who will hopefully be here for life, and Aston Villa probably feel the same."[LNB]Neville is a rarity. Despite being 32 and having made nearly 400 appearances in the top flight, he has only ever worked under two club managers- Ferguson and Moyes – and is so in a strong position to judge the rewards brought by continuity. [LNB]"It must frustrate the life out of a lot of British managers. But we are lucky, we don't want the likes of Chelsea looking at David Moyes because we want him to stay here because if he stays, we know he is going to be successful. If David Moyes stays at Everton, he is going to bring success, as he has over the last six years. [LNB]"I think both David Moyes and Martin O'Neill have got what it takes to manage a really top club. Why go to South America and pick someone who has done well at international level but hasn't got a clue about English football? You need men who know what it's like going to play at Everton on a wet Wednesday night. Some of the managers that have come over haven't got a clue about something like that. [LNB]''Martin O'Neill knows how to win a trophy. David Moyes knows how to qualify for the Champions League and Uefa Cup. It flabbergasts me why British managers don't get linked."[LNB]Team news [LNB]Villa captain Gareth Barry is suspended after picking up his fifth booking, so Steve Sidwell will come in. Luke Young should be fit after missing the England trip with a toe injury. Everton cannot play Jo as the Brazilian striker is Cup tied. Steven Pienaar is suspended while Marouane Fellaini has a back injury. Louis Saha is returning from a hamstring injury and might make the bench. [LNB]Key clash [LNB]Jagielka v AgbonlahorThe pair were team-mates with England in midweek and will have been working each other out in training in the build-up to the Spain game. [LNB]Phil Jagielka has been in superb form in defence while Gabriel Agbonlahor ended an eight-game drought by scoring against Blackburn last week. [LNB]
