Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester United stalwart Gary Neville isn't as appealing as he used to be
[LNB]Off? Gary Neville's days at Old Trafford are drawing to a close[LNB]If Gary Neville was of a paranoid disposition then the veteran defender couldbe forgiven for thinking Manchester United's decision not to appeal his red cardat Barnsley last Tuesday night was a nudge to indicate his exit plan from OldTrafford has been drawn up.[LNB]Neville was sent off in the Carling Cup encounter at Oakwell for a challenge onformer Liverpool trainee Adam Hamill that was more reckless than dangerous.[LNB]Referee Chris Foy had no hesitation in showing the 34-year-old a straight redand, assuming Foy was not so quick-minded to weigh Neville's impudence to allthings Liverpool against him, it seemed a slightly harsh decision.[LNB]Neville looked stunned as he trudged off, consoling himself most likely in theknowledge that Foy was set to be on the receiving end of a familiar rant fromhis almost certainly aggrieved manager Sir Alex Ferguson. [LNB]After all the Scot has been in good form when it came to referees - just askthe "unfit" Alan Wiley and "inexperienced" Andre Marriner, who Ferguson hadbridled against only two days earlier after he sent off Nemanja Vidic inUnited's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool. [LNB]But after the Barnsley game Ferguson was not aggrieved, there was no rant. [LNB]Asked what he thought about Neville's dismissal, the 67-year-old's response wasfar more obliging than expected: 'It was not high, just above the ankle, but inthe present climate I would say that the referee was probably correct.'[LNB][LNB]Bit part: Neville's playing time at United is becoming increasingly minimal[LNB]It was an unlikely answer, probably measured out of the fact Ferguson muststill face a personal hearing with the Football Association over his Wileycomments. [LNB]Given Neville's increasingly limited role at Old Trafford - he was given justhis fourth domestic start of the season alongside the second-string youngstersat Oakwell - Ferguson may have opted to take the ban on the chin rather thanrocking the FA boat.[LNB]And Neville, more fiercely loyal to his Old Trafford masters than paranoidabout them, would probably be happy to accept the ban if that was the way thingswere explained to him. [LNB]But his patience with the United backroom staff must have surely been testedwhen, just a few days later, they opted to challenge the yellow card picked upby his young right-back understudy Fabio da Silva. [LNB]United claimed it was a case of mistaken identity with the 19-year-oldBrazilian's twin brother Rafael the player who committed the foul on JamalCampbell-Ryce. [LNB]United may well be correct but Neville - who signed a one-year extension at OldTrafford in February - could have a case for feeling a little left out in thecold. [LNB] Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson calls for consistency as champions head for ChelseaFoster's prospects hit by rumours of renewed United bid for Schalke's Neuer Fabio Capello set to hand Gary Neville surprise England recallShock horror! Sir Alex Ferguson backs referee over Gary Neville red cardMANCHESTER UNITED FC
