Gary Neville Says He Won't Take Up Manchester United Role 'In a Million Years'

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has ruled out taking up a role at the club in the future. 

The Red Devils brought in Neville's former United team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Wednesday as a caretaker manager until the end of the season, following Jose Mourinho's departure on Tuesday.

Neville has no wish to join him in the dugout or take up a behind-the-scenes role at Old Trafford, though, as he told Sky Sports' The Debate (h/t the Mirror's Jack Rathborn):

"Absolutely not. I am not fit for purpose at that football club. I own Salford [City FC], a non-league, National League club. I love what we are doing here.

"Absolutely no way in a million years, one would I ever get employed at Manchester United.

"And secondly should I be employed at Manchester United, maybe 15 or 20 years time if I go and prove myself as an incredible sporting director, which I am not planning to do.

"This needs to be the best in class, internationally. We have to take emotion out of it. 'Get him back!' No, get the best people, who have run the best clubs in the world and reset properly."

Neville reiterated his call for the club to recruit the best people available for various roles as they seek to reestablish themselves among Europe's elite:

United sacked Mourinho with the club 19 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and 11 points off the top four.

The Red Devils have finished outside the UEFA Champions League qualification spots three times since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, having finished in the top three every year since 1992 prior to that.

Since retiring in 2011, Neville has become one of the most incisive pundits commenting on English football, and he has also been outspoken about United's struggles in the post-Ferguson era.

Former United forward Scott McGarvey called for him to be made a sporting director at Old Trafford earlier in the season, while football journalist Tom McDermott has also expressed hope he might return to the club in some capacity:

Neville has some coaching experience, having worked under then-England boss Roy Hodgson for four years between 2012 and 2016.

However, his only foray into management was a disastrous four-month stint at Valencia, where he picked up just three wins from 16 league games and did not keep a clean sheet in any of them.

As for a role elsewhere in the club, it's also worth remembering he has been vocal in his criticism of the club's running, which would likely preclude them from considering him.

In October, he said on Sky Sports' Friday Night Football (h/t the Mirror's Mark Jones) that United's decision-making in recent years was "rotten to the core."

In light of those comments, United aren't likely to offer him a position under their current setup.

Though Neville's intimate knowledge of the club could make him suitable to helping them out in some ways, it's clear he recognises he doesn't fit his own assessment of what United need.