Source: Daily_Mail
Gary Neville, the true fighter who bristled with attitude
Red Devil: Gary Neville celebrates in front of the Liverpool fans[LNB]When Gary and Phil Neville first began to emerge at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson considered the younger brother to be the more talented of the two.[LNB] He would say as much at the end of his private press gatherings at The Cliff on a Friday. 'Gary's very good but Phil's the better player,' he would assure us.[LNB]But even Phil would admit that Gary had something, while not as naturally gifted, that gave him an edge. That, for all the success Phil has achieved, leaves Gary able to reflect on the more glittering career. What he had was attitude, and loads of it. [LNB]Jaap Stam once referred to both of them as 'busy c****' but it was that attitude that enabled the older Neville to make 85 England appearances, and so establish himself as the most capped right back in the country's history.[LNB] Just as it was that attitude that eventually persuaded Ferguson to make him club captain. He was Mr Consistent, Mr Dependable, Mr Professional, and someone Phil would be the first to point out worked relentlessly to develop his game.[LNB]Before injury struck and ultimately forced him to retire last night, hehad become as effective an attacking full back as he was a defender. A fine crosser of the ball.[LNB] But it is for other reasons that Neville will be remembered. As David Beckham's rather less glamorous best mate and a belligerent, combustibleindividual who never ducked a row or a challenge.[LNB]As England's long-serving shop steward - highly appropriate for a player with the moniker Red Nev - he is remembered for trying to organise a players' strike in response to the Football Association's decision to ban Rio Ferdinand for missing a drugs test.[LNB] It was one of the most extraordinary episodes in the history of the national team, the FA at one stage facing the very real prospect of meeting Turkey in a European Championship qualifier without a number of their senior players.[LNB] Young ones: Neville (top row, second left) in United's youth team[LNB] In the end Ferdinand diffused the situation by urging the players not to boycott the game on his behalf, while David James, then the goalkeeper, also exerted a fair amount of influence in arguing that it was a move that might only succeed in turning the entire country against them.[LNB] HAVE YOUR SAY... How will you remember Gary Neville as he retires from football? As Manchester United hero Gary Neville hangs up his boots after almost 19 years at Old Trafford, we want you to share your memories - good, bad and ugly - of the man who won 85 England caps and almost every honour in the game. TELL US WHAT YOU THINK When the instigators then chose to leak the story, it pretty much did anyway. 'Who the hell do you think you are?' screamed one front page. Neville doubtless still feels he was right. Months after the incident his mood certainly had not changed.[LNB]'We were brassed off, and we stillare,' he said. 'It was frustrating for us. We didn't like what happenedto Rio, and we still don't like what's happening to him. We stood forwhat we felt was right and everyone was behind it.[LNB]'We played the gamein the end and got the result, and it is by the by now. But it made thepoint and showed that maybe we have a little bit of something about us.'[LNB]Misery: Neville with Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard after England's exit from 2006 World Cup[LNB]It showed Neville was a man of principle even if he was misguided in thinking Ferdinand did not deserve some kind of punishment for what was a very serious offence.[LNB] But Neville was deadly serious about striking. So serious, in fact, that he sat with his United colleagues in the team hotel in St Albans that night and suggested they all consider retiring from the international game. [LNB]It was his brother who then countered that such action might be a bit extreme and in the end, despite then turning on Phil, Gary and his team-mates all came to their senses. It was nevertheless what made Neville such a fine leader of men, and such a valuable presence in any dressing room.[LNB] United fans will forever adore him for the way he would antagonise Liverpool and their supporters. For the way he responded to Ferdinand's 90th-minute winner against them at Old Trafford in 2006 by running down the length of the pitch alone to celebrate in front of the away fans.[LNB]Quite rightly he was fined by the FA for incitement, but Neville didn'tsee it that way. 'Footballers aren't robots,' he retorted and, love himor hate him, you had to admire him.[LNB]You had to laugh too when he made aone-fingered gesture to Carlos Tevez last year while warming up as a substitute against Manchester City.[LNB]He seems a natural to one day succeed Gordon Taylor at the Professional Footballers' Association. Perhaps even become a manager.[LNB]But if a career in the media is something he now settles on, he will be impossible to ignore there, too. Intelligent, articulate and fearless in expressing his opinion, he should make a terrific television pundit.[LNB] Brothers in arms: Gary and brother Phil celebrate winning the Champions League in 1999[LNB]Even if half the audience want to switch over or kill the volume, something will s top them. An almost masochistic desire to let him wind them up perhaps. He was not the easiest to deal with for a reporter. But the meetings were always compelling; the material always terrific. [LNB]Neville has passion and he articulates it so much better than the vast majority of his peers. Most of all though, he has grafted for everything he has achieved and he has achieved so much. And for that he will always deserve our respect.[LNB] Kiss off: Neville rewards Paul Scholes for a goal[LNB] [LNB] Manchester United stalwart Gary Neville announces shock retirement with immediate effectNo more! Ferguson vows to walk away from football once he leaves UnitedNeville lined up to be new Sky Sports pundit when dust settles on Linogate All the latest Manchester United news, features and opinion[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Phil Neville, David Beckham, David James, Carlos Tevez, Rio Ferdinand, Gordon Taylor, Gary Neville Places: Liverpool, United Kingdom, Turkey Organisations: Football Association
