Manchester United captain Gary Neville says his playing career
is far from coming to an end.
The England right-back has enjoyed a distinguished career for both
club and country, having refuted suggestions that he is driven by
the financial rewards that are earned in modern football these
days.
Having been present at this week's launch for the centenary year of
the Professional Footballers' Association in Manchester, there are
suggestions that the 31-year-old has the potential to succeed
Gordon Taylor as PFA chief executive.
However, the Old Trafford players' union representative is not
thinking about a transition away from the football pitch just
yet.
"I am not coming to the end of my career, but I'm not 18 any more,"
Neville told the Daily Star.
"When I retire, I don't know what I will be doing. While Gordon
Taylor is in good health, the union's in outstanding hands.
"I am the rep at Old Trafford and it may be time to pass down to
someone younger, like Brian McClair did with me.
"You have to be a solid type and believe in the union. People like
John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher, real solid types, would make good
PFA representatives for Manchester United."
Neville was keen to portray the modern professional footballer in a
positive light following plenty of negative publicity in recent
years.
"Players are good people and of course, we make mistakes," he
added. "We are not bad and we do try to do a lot of good
work.
"I play for United and I am honoured to be the captain. Being
ambassadors is part of the job and when people say we need to be
role models, most of the time we are.
"Sometimes, human beings make mistakes. We are professional
footballers, but we are human.
"I am one of the lucky ones and there are so many not so
fortunate."