Even though Gary Neville has been busy preparing for Saturday's crucial FA Cup tie against Reading, the Manchester United skipper still found time to attend the launch ofthe PFA's new Football in the Community magazine, ProFile. An experienced England full back first capped in the 1995 Umbro Cup, Gary is one of England's and United's most reliable performers, as well as being a staunch supporter of the PFA. He has featured in five major tournaments for England - Euro 96, the 1998 World Cup, Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 and the last World Cup in 2006. Givemefootball's Lawrie Madden caught up with him at the launch of the organisation's latest publication.
Q:
DID YOU FEEL IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ATTEND THIS EVENT - JUST AS YOU ATTENDED THE LAUNCH OF THE PFA'S CENTENARY YEAR LAST MONTH?
A:
The PFA does great work, 90 per cent of which is unseen and the organisation doesn't always get the credit it deserves. The PFA is not about glory hunters and they have shown great support for this Community project. Football in the Community gives jobs to players who didn't quite make the grade, or who were forced to quit the game early through injury, and that can only be good.
Q:
THE COMMUNITY PROJECTS HELP SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
A:
I used to play every Saturday and Sunday on a local park or play in the streets. I used to look up to players and want to be like them. I would go onto the school playground and dream of being them. I fulfilled my dream of playing for Manchester United. The young lads today need pitches to play on. We talk about producing players but I think parks football needs to come back and be encouraged.
Q:
CONTRARY TO THE MISGUIDED VIEW OF SOME, PLAYERS DO TAKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS ROLE MODELS SERIOUSLY, DON'T THEY?
A:
Football and footballers have a responsibility to project the right image to young people who, thesedays, see us almost as film stars. The PFA is one of the strongest and most powerful unions in the world and that is something to be proud off. The PFA doesn't take, it gives. The players do a lot of good work for charities, such as UNICEF, and we do a lot of work locally too; coaching kids, attending presentations, visiting sick kids in hospital. It's very important and we take it very seriously.
Q:
AS YOU SAY, THE TOP PLAYERS DO A LOT OF GOOD 'UNSEEN' WORK, BUT SOME PEOPLE FEEL THEY ARE REMOVED FROM THE AVERAGE FAN. IS THAT FAIR?
A:
There is a perception that football players are moving away from the working man, that we are super celebrities and that money has moved us away. But that's not how I see it. I am just normal when I meet people. Young fans love to meet their heroes and we are happy to do that - a lot of it is hidden work and something we don't brag about because, certainly at Manchester United, we view it as a given.
Q:
YOU HAVE SPOKEN FORCEFULLY, AND HONESTLY, ABOUT AGENTS - WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THAT RESPECT?
A:
I would like agents removed from the game. I would like to see players not so reliant on agents who take money out of the game. It is a concern for me when an agent can ask for your wage and get thousands of pounds for it which means it goes out of the game. I would like players to take more responsibility for managing themselves. And, of course, the PFA is always there to help.
Q:
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUNG PLAYERS MAKING THEIR WAY IN THE GAME?
A:
Get good advice. You need good advice but you don't need to pay an agent hundreds of thousands of pounds. Footballers need to take responsibility for what they do in all walks of life whether it is financial or personal.
