Phil Neville Has Emerged as Leading Candidate to Take Over as England Women's Manager

Ex-Manchester United and Everton defender Phil Neville has emerged as one of the leading candidates to become the new permanent manager of the England women's national team and is reportedly set for talks with the FA over the role.

England Under-19 coach Mo Marley (pictured below) has taken temporary charge of the Lionesses since former boss Mark Sampson was dismissed following an investigation into racist behaviour and remarks towards players Eniola Aluko and Drew Spence.

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The Daily Telegraph notes that Neville is on the FA shortlist and is interested in the job, while it is Sky Sports who say that talks are set to be held.

The rumour initially came into the public domain earlier in the week when England and Chelsea Ladies left-back Claire Rafferty mentioned 40-year-old Neville as potentially being in the running while speaking with BBC Radio 5 Live.

According to women's football journalist Kieran Theivam writing for Women's Soccer Zone, Neville has emerged as a top candidate after the FA's preferred initial targets were ruled out.

That included former Arsenal Ladies coach Laura Harvey, who has been appointed head coach at Utah Royals in the National Women's Soccer League, Manchester City Women boss Nick Cushing, prior to a new contract at the Etihad Campus, and John Herdman, who is now head coach of the Canadian men's national team after seven years leading the Canada's women.

It is said that all three conducted telephone interviews with the FA after being named on a shortlist that was drawn up as far back as November, but talks have gone no further.

Neville does hold a UEFA Pro License, but his coaching career is yet to really take off. He was a first-team coach at Manchester United during David Moyes' ill-fated season and later took a job as assistant manager at Valencia, with brother Gary soon also heading to the Mestalla.

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Neville left the club when his elder sibling was sacked, leaving his only experience as an actual head coach or manager coming in a single game for Salford City, the non-league club he part owns, as a joint interim with friend, former team-mate and fellow part-owner Paul Scholes.

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