Gary Neville was told ‘he was s***’ by former Manchester United team-mate Nicky Butt after making his Monday Night Football debut… as the fellow Class of 92 star claims the Sky Sports pundit is now ‘the best by a mile’
- Gary Neville made his Monday Night Football debut back in August 2011
- The former Manchester United defender made an awkward first appearance
- Nicky Butt reveals he told his ex-teammate that he was ‘s***’ after his debut
Gary Neville was told ‘he was s***’ after making his Monday Night Football debut at the start of the 2011-12 season.
The former Manchester United defender turned to punditry after retiring the season before, with his first game seeing Manchester City thrash Swansea 4-0 in a match that saw Sergio Aguero make his debut.
Neville is now known as one of the best pundits on television but it took some time for him to feel comfortable and he was noticeably nervous as he stumbled over his words while trying to interview then City boss Roberto Mancini.
Gary Neville had an awkward first appearance as a pundit on Monday Night Football in 2011
Fellow Class of ’92 star Nicky Butt, told The Athletic that he let his former team-mate know what he thought of his first appearance.
He said: ‘As a manager, you’ll have tough times and get cr*p off the press. I know that – and I’m fine with the media.
‘I wasn’t when I started in my first interviews – or my first managerial speeches, but you learn. I remember seeing Nev on Sky Sports at first and he was s***, and I told him.
Neville’s former team-mate Nicky Butt (right) revealed he told Neville his debut was ‘s***’
‘Now he’s the best, by a mile. And you have to be prepared for questions – journalists have a job to do too.’
During his debut, Neville tried to break the ice with a joke but stumbled over his words while speaking to Mancini.
He said: ‘Roberto… Gary Neville, I bet I never thought you’d get interviewed by me,’ before letting out a chuckle.
Neville recently told Sky Sports: ‘To this day, whenever the producer who did that show speaks to me, he says, “Hi Roberto! I bet you never thought you’d be interviewed by me”.
‘For four or five years, I always hated that interview section at the end of the show with a player or manager, but they always wanted me to get involved or ask a question.
Neville is now known as one of the best pundits on television after a decade with Sky Sports
‘In the last few years, I have felt more comfortable with it, Friday Night Football, Monday Night Football and, more recently, The Football Show in this period. I’m more comfortable asking questions and reacting off what people say.
‘It all comes down to experience but that was just embarrassing. My Bury accent came out and everything, deary me.’
Neville’s former team-mate Butt left Manchester United back in March, after nine years in various coaching roles within the academy.
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