Bronze: Gender should not be a factor for Neville successor

Lucy Bronze says England’s next head coach must improve them as a team, and that gender should not be a factor for their appointment

Lucy Bronze says gender should not be a factor in the appointment of Phil Neville’s successor as England Women’s head coach.

Neville is set to step down next year with the Football Association looking to appoint a successor to lead the Lionesses into the delayed European Championships in England in 2022.

Double World Cup winner Jill Ellis, Chelsea coach Emma Hayes, Manchester United’s Casey Stoney, and former Manchester City boss Nick Cushing have all be named as potential replacements to Neville.

Bronze, the reigning European Women’s Footballer of the Year, believes the search should not be limited either to a woman, or a manager with a record in the women’s game.

Phil Neville is set to step down as England Women’s head coach next year

Bronze told Union JACK Radio’s The Show Must Go On podcast: “I think now most managers would chop their hand off to be a part of our team.

“Do I think it needs to be a woman? No. Do I think it has to be someone in women’s football? I don’t really think that.

“In women’s football especially, I don’t think that we see that as a difference, whether it’s a male of a female manager.

“If they know what they’re doing on the pitch and they can make us a better team, then bring them in and let’s go and win something.”

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Eni Aluko believes former USA coach Jill Ellis, who was born in Portsmouth, could be the person to replace the outgoing Phil Neville as head coach of the England women’s team.

Eni Aluko believes former USA coach Jill Ellis, who was born in Portsmouth, could be the person to replace the outgoing Phil Neville as head coach of the England women’s team.

Williams: Neville showed ‘lack of respect’ with England head coach comments

Earlier this month, England’s record appearance-maker Fara Williams said Neville demonstrated “a lack of respect” towards the women’s game after he described his coaching role as a stepping stone to club management.

Neville, who was due to lead hosts England at the European Championships prior to its postponement to 2022, revealed he always intended to use the position to gain experience and then “cut his teeth” at a club.

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Fara Williams says Phil Neville showed ‘a lack of respect’ towards women’s football, after he admitted that the England women’s job was just ‘a stepping stone’

Fara Williams says Phil Neville showed ‘a lack of respect’ towards women’s football, after he admitted that the England women’s job was just ‘a stepping stone’

Williams, who has won 172 international caps, missed out on selection at last summer’s World Cup in France and this year’s SheBelieves Cup and admits she was “hurt” by Neville’s remarks.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Reading midfielder Williams said: “The comments… I was disappointed with [them]. The fact that you can come out and say you was using our national team as a stepping stone, that disappointed me.

“I was hurt by those comments. I am no longer with that squad but I certainly know what it means to me to play for England. I know what it means for the girls there currently, staff that are there currently [and] that were there before.

Fara Williams came on as a substitute under Phil Neville in friendlies against Belgium and Norway last September

“Comments like that are not needed in my opinion. I think he could have probably handled that, or the comments could have been made a little bit better.

“I just think it shows a little lack of respect for our game and, as I say, where it was and where we are trying to get it to.”

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