English

Phil Neville to step down as manager of England’s Women’s team

From the Guardian, UK:

The Football Association will announce that Phil Neville will step down as manager of England Women at the end of his contract in the summer of 2021.

A new head coach will take the reins for the European Championship in England in 2022. That tournament was originally scheduled for the summer of 2021, with Neville’s contract due to end after its conclusion, but the coronavirus pandemic meant it was postponed by a year.

It is unclear whether Neville will take charge of Team GB as planned at the Olympic Games, which have also been delayed by a year until the summer of 2021.

The 43-year-old’s tenure, which began in January 2018, started with a shambolic  SheBelieves Cup. Defeats by USA and Spain, sandwiching a scrappy 1-0 win against Japan, took England to seven losses in 11 games, a run that began with a 2-1 defeat by USA in their World Cup semi-final last summer.

After the defeat against Spain, Neville said he needed a period of “self-reflection”, adding: “I went through five managers in Valencia for better records than I’ve got at this moment in time. David Moyes lost his job at Manchester United with probably a better record than I’ve got so I take responsibility.”

The pressure has mounted on Neville who, despite a first SheBelieves Cup title in 2019 and having reached the last four of the World Cup, has struggled to get the Lionesses producing consistent performances across 90 minutes. Defensive fragilities have also blighted the former Manchester United and England defender’s tenure.