Phil Neville, Butt await fate

11 July 2014 09:17

Phil Neville and Nicky Butt are expecting to learn if they have futures at Manchester United in the coming weeks.

The former long-serving players were both involved in the coaching set-up last season but are unsure if they will be asked to continue under new manager Louis van Gaal.

Van Gaal is due to take charge at Old Trafford next week after completing duties with Holland at the World Cup this weekend.

Neville, 37, ended his playing career at Everton but returned to United last season as a member of David Moyes' backroom staff.

He continued after Moyes was sacked in April but his position has remained uncertain since.

Neville told Press Association Sport: "I am still at United, I think my future will be resolved in the next five days.

"I am speaking to the chief executive in the next five days and it will all be sorted.

"It might be the case that I might have to go and pursue other areas for next season. That is football.

"But I think I will always be involved in some capacity at Man Utd. Once you are a part of Manchester United you are part of it for life.

"I came back into football 12 months because David Moyes asked me to come back.

"I probably wouldn't have come into coaching if it hadn't been for the fact I was working for David Moyes at Manchester United. The opportunity was too good to turn down.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my 12 months in coaching. It is something I really want to do and it will be something I do in the future."

Butt, 39, worked as assistant to Warren Joyce with the under-21 side and managed the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League.

The under-19 role will not be available next season as the Youth League mirrors the Champions League, which the United senior side have failed to qualify for.

Butt said: "It is a bit unstable at the minute because the manager has not been with us.

"He has had bigger things on his mind with Holland but hopefully over the next couple of weeks he will be in training and we will sit down and discuss what role, if any, I have got.

"If I have, then great. If not, I've had a fantastic time.

"I am back in training now but if there is not a job for me there is no point staying.

"They want me there, and I want to be there but it has got to be for a purpose. The only one that can make that decision is obviously the manager and the owners."

Despite that uncertainty, Butt feels United have much to look forward to under a manager who impressed in guiding Holland to the World Cup semi-finals.

He said: "It is an exciting time. I think everyone will be pleased when he finally arrives and takes his first training session and starts drilling our players like he did with the Dutch lads, because he got some great results out of them."

Neville and Butt were speaking at Salford's AJ Bell Stadium, where they will both feature in a friendly between the 'Class of 92 and Friends' against Salford City FC on August 7.

The pair, along with Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, invested in non-League Salford earlier this year.

Source: PA