Gary Neville thinks Arsenal have a player who can become one of the next great pundits
Gary Neville is arguably more famous for his punditry career than he was for his playing career.
That is despite winning 12 Premier League titles and playing over 600 games for Manchester United. It just goes to show how central the media is to football now, particularly in England. Since hanging up his boots in 2011, Neville has essentially become the face of Sky Sports coverage, or the voice of it.
The former right-back certainly doesn’t shy away from expressing his opinion and backing it to the hilt — something Arsenal fans know especially well. So when Neville was asked by David Ornstein in a YouTube feature with The Athletic which current player he thinks will make the next great pundit, his answer was worth listening to.
“The people who’ve got the ability to make the next great pundit — if they want to, by the way, and some of these lads don’t want to… Declan Rice, if he wants to. For me, Maddison, Rice, Henderson I think, could be a solid pundit.”
Declan Rice may not be the most obvious choice, but as a confident, outgoing personality with experience at the very top level — and now a Premier League winners’ medal — it makes complete sense. Maybe that’s why Graeme Souness is always banging on about him — he’s worried he’ll take his job.
On a serious note, the Arsenal midfielder has consistently impressed in interviews and press conferences with his articulacy, his tactical awareness and his willingness to speak honestly about the game. He is also said to keep a close eye on the more analytical side of the game including stats and data.
Having worked under the meticulous Mikel Arteta, as well as other great football minds like Thomas Tuchel and David Moyes, he’d bring knowledge and insight in abundance.
Like Neville says, whether he would actually want to pursue that path after his playing career is another matter. He might be more keen on going the coaching route, but he does come across as someone who would transition well to the media side of the sport.