Phil Neville: Inter Miami boss ‘under pressure’ after 5-0 defeat to New England marks sixth straight MLS loss
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Updated 22/07/2021 at 11:38 GMT
Inter Miami are bottom of the Eastern Conference in the MLS having won just two of their opening 12 games under Phil Neville. Wednesday night’s 5-0 defeat to New England Revolution was Miami’s sixth straight loss, but Neville admits he still feels the support of David Beckham and the club’s other owners
Phil Neville, Inter Miami head coach
Image credit: Getty Images
Phil Neville admits he is under pressure at Inter Miami after a 5-0 defeat to New England Revolution proved to be their sixth straight loss in the MLS.
The Inter Miami boss took charge of the club in January, with former England and Manchester United team-mate David Beckham one of the team’s owners.
The run of defeats leaves Miami bottom of the Eastern Conference, with Neville recording just two wins as manager from their opening 12 MLS games this season.
The former England Women’s boss said he knows the “consequences” of a losing streak, and added he and his players “need to take a long, hard look at themselves”.
Neville said: "I feel their [the owners] full support - I always have done. They don't need to tell me about their concerns because I have the same concerns.
I've been in football long enough and I know the consequences - that's no problem to me. We're doing everything in our power, we just need better performances on the field. I've got great responsibility and I'm accountable for everything that I do. We're on a run at the moment that puts me under pressure.
He added: "I wasn't expecting it. The players need to take a long, hard look at themselves, and so do I. We win and we lose together.
"Ultimately it's my job to make this team better, and in this moment in time they are not. That's on my shoulders.
"When we suffer a disappointment, we need to make sure that we can recover. That's what football's all about - having courage, bravery, not letting your team-mates down on the field.
"We're not doing that and it's something we've not done for the last six games. It's something we have to rectify ASAP.
"Did they have better players than us? On paper, no, but they're a team and that's what we must become. That's all I'm asking for - a team that will fight for each other and look round the dressing room and trust each other.
"That's what I've asked them to do - look in the mirror and ask, 'what are you doing for the team?' Nothing will deter me from trying to be a success at this football club."
Neville apologised to the Miami fans after losing at home to New England, with his side scoring just one goal and conceding 13 in the past six games.
"It's the lowest in terms of my feelings after a defeat that I've had since I came to this football club - and we've had some disappointments," he said.
"You can lose games in football, but the manner in which we lost tonight was… we've said the word unacceptable in the past - it feels worse than that.
"It's a case of playing for your pride, for the badge, for your supporters - I can only apologise to them for what they saw tonight. It's them that I feel for, more than myself or the players, because they deserve better."
Goalkeeper Nick Marsman called the 5-0 result “a complete disaster” and said the players were “emotional and angry” after the match.
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