Neville opens up on with chat with Beckham as Inter Miami sack was confirmed
Phil Neville has opened up about his departure from Inter Miami, with his close friend and former Manchester United teammate David Beckham giving him the sack.
Neville was axed back in June with Inter Miami sat last in the Eastern Conference, with Beckham calling it a 'tough decision'. The pair came through United's academy together as part of the Class of 92 and also co-own League Two club Salford City alongside Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and billionaire businessman Peter Lim.
Speaking about his Inter Miami exit for the first time on the Offside with Taylor Twellman podcast, Neville lifted the lid on the "really hard" conversation he had with Beckham about his future and insisted he feels no "bitterness" about the decision.
"They were incredibly honest to me," he said. "I have had two special moments in my career away from the medals that I won and that is when I left Manchester United and when I left Miami.
"It was one that, in a way, filled me with pride with the respect they had for me. My best friend, one of my lifelong friends, delivered the news that I wasn't going to work for Inter Miami and that was really hard.
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"Hard for David, hard for me but it was actually a really special moment between two people who have total respect and love for each other. I don't have any bitterness and I don't look back.
"Sir Alex Ferguson taught me that, my father taught me that - don't look back because If you look back you end up with pain and anger and bitterness. I look forward, I think Miami gave me and my family two and a half of the best years of my life."
Neville also revealed he felt he was going to get the sack when it became clear Lionel Messi was set to join the club, with his departure confirmed mere days before the signing of Messi was announced.
Neville admitted he did not expect to remain in charge once Lionel Messi joined the club (Getty)"I always had a feeling deep down I wasn't going to be here when he [Messi] was going to come to the club," he explained. "And I say that not lacking confidence in myself but this was different, this was not signing Gonzalo Higuain or Blaise Matuidi.
"You look around the world, the way he has been at other clubs and there has always been certain managers that managed him. The bottom line for me was, forget Messi, the results weren't good enough the last month I was in the job and I knew that.
"That is the reason I left. When I look in the mirror in the morning and my friends or social media say 'it could have been you', well no it couldn't have. The results were not good enough.
"I knew the vision, I knew what the club wanted. I've been in football a long time and sometimes it is not meant to be. I am not bitter, twisted or angry."
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