18: Phil Neville - ex Captain Fantastic

Tonteau wrote:

Hinchcliffe Corner wrote:Anyone else think 'Arry is worried that we might have our traditional surge up the table in the closing stages, and is trying to unsettle us?

If he is, he's the only one.

Phil Neville knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup - and then admitted he'd bottled the big celebration. Skipper Neville crashed home the killer spot-kick to heap more pressure on Carlo Ancelotti and stood with arms outstretched in front of the cock-a-hoop travelling fans.

But asked if he had been mimicking Wayne Rooney or former Lancashire under-19 team-mate Freddie Flintoff, cricket-lover Neville joked: "I should have done The Sprinkler. I've been practising it for weeks!" Neville added: "I felt really good. I'd been practicing well all week. Because it was the winning penalty I think it took the pressure off me a little bit. As soon as I was back in my stance I knew I was going to score. I'd been practising all week and I knew where the ball was going - and that's half the battle.

"Since I've come to Everton I took one in the semi-final against United and scored and against Brentford earlier this season in the Carling Cup and scored. If I carry on like this the boss will have me on for penalties - so I'd better start missing!"

Neville has been praised for his courage in asking to be the fifth penalty-taker at Stamford Bridge – but he revealed he felt supremely confident because he had prepared for the moment.
“We’d had two draws with Chelsea and I felt I might need to take responsibility for taking a penalty.
“So I went in on my day off and I was nailing them in practice into the top corner and that gave me all the confidence I needed.”

Blues skipper Phil Neville has revealed he believes he can go on playing at the highest level for at least the next two seasons.

But the Everton captain admits his optimism regarding his ongoing fitness is a far cry from the early weeks of the 2010/11 campaign. The 34-year-old even considered quitting football after an early season injury left him unsure about whether he could continue playing at the highest level.

Neville suffered a foot injury called Planter fasciitis and was out of action for five games in the early part of Everton's 2010/11 campaign.

Thankfully Neville recovered fully and missed only three more games over the course of the campaign and had an excellent term both at right back and later on in central midfield.

And the former England international has exclusively told evertontv he is delighted his family and manager David Moyes talked him round.

"From a personal point of view it’s been one of most enjoyable seasons. But at the start of the season, and particularly after the Blackburn game, when you come back from injury you question yourself," he said.

"I was questioning myself whether I was good enough to be a footballer again, I was contemplating retirement at the time but the manager told me to snap out of it and so did my family and I’ve had a great season.

"I’ve personally enjoyed it more than any other one, I feel as fit as I ever have and from the start of the season where I though it might be my last I’m now thinking I want to continue for as long as possible and at least the next two seasons - hopefully at Everton.”

As ever Neville led from the front as the Blues produced another late season burst to finish seventh in the Premier League, one place higher than they achieved last term.

Indeed, his on-field leadership was vital after defeats to lower league opposition in the cup and a defeat to Bolton at the Reebok in February.

"The three games against Reading, Brentford and Bolton were probably real low points," he admitted.

"Reading in the FA Cup was absolutely catastrophic - you can’t say anything more than that, we’d just beaten Chelsea and we thought it was going to be our year again – we’re going to turn it around and get to Wembley and then we get beat by Reading.

"As captain my style is to lift the spirits in a jovial way, I do like to raise my voice sometimes but the best way to get confidence back in players is to have a laugh and a joke and to build team spirit and this year it’s been needed on a number of occasions.

"But with the team spirit we’ve got we all just seem to pull together, that’s the pleasing thing about being captain of this group of players, that when we lose at Bolton or against Brentford or Reading it’s not just one or two that have to raise the spirits, the whole team pull together."

Mr_Ben wrote:never leaves a tip

Knight of Thorgothshire wrote:

Mr_Ben wrote:never leaves a tip

Pip doesn't leave a tip? And you have this on good authority?

Armchair Evertonian wrote:He's feeling the pinch:


http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1424931_too-high-phil-neville-slashes-price-of-beetham-tower-apartment-by-250000

Super wrote:

Armchair Evertonian wrote:He's feeling the pinch:


http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1424931_too-high-phil-neville-slashes-price-of-beetham-tower-apartment-by-250000

Must be looking for a quick sale.

Super wrote:Phil Neville is on the verge of a signing a contract that will keep him at Everton for the rest of his career. The former England international has 12 months left on his current terms but talks are at an advanced stage on a new two-year deal. Tottenham wanted to sign Neville, 34, in the January transfer window and his head was turned by the lure of Champions League football.

Knight of Thorgothshire wrote:Based on the performance yesterday.....

Having said that, he's a great leader on the pitch. Hopefully his wages are not that high.

Mr_Ben wrote:Signed a new 2 year deal

Tonteau wrote:Captain Phil will prove all you twats wrong. He's the greatest leader of men since Scott of the antarctic.