Manchester United icon has once again likened the club to "a graveyard" as the struggles at Old Trafford continue.
It was exactly 12 months ago that the former full-back said his old stomping ground had become a place for careers to die. Neville spoke about "big problems" at the Theatre of Dreams in October 2023, raising alarm after a poor start in 's second despite another influx of players.
Fast-forward to today and United have won only three of their nine games in all competitions, including back-to-back draws in the . They've also lost successive home games to and , succumbing 3-0 on both occasions.
Speaking to Rebecca Lowe on following the recent defeat to Spurs, Neville reiterated the point when he said: "The idea that another manager can come in with great promise, great talent [and who] lots of clubs in Europe were looking at that get . . .and it's been a graveyard for him.
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"This club cannot continue being a graveyard for players and managers. There's got to be a stop put to it. And that's where I think Jim Ratcliffe [and other executive members], they've got to stand strong now and come up with solutions."
Neville's comments bear a striking similarity to the ones he made 12 months ago, suggesting not much has changed at Old Trafford in that time – in his opinion at least. “I feel very sorry for the manager, I know a lot of people will say he’s got to do a lot better, and that’s fine, he’s the manager, but there are a lot of big problems at the club that managers have found over the last ten years," Neville said previously.
"I think until those problems are solved we’ll still continue to see underperforming teams, underperforming players, it’s become a graveyard for coaches and players – it’s not too strong a term."
Ten Hag once again finds himself under immense pressure to steer the ship back on course, with United back in familiar, gloomy territory. Neville and Lowe discussed some of those names who could replace the Dutchman if he were to be fired, which begs the question of what happens to his squad.
Despite the struggles he's faced for much of his time in England, Ten Hag has been allowed to assemble a line-up replete with talent he's picked personally. And Neville pointed to decisions like these as being an example of why the club has hampered itself in the post-Sir era.
"That's where Manchester United have been, flip-flopping around for the last 12 years," he said. "Every manager having a big influence over the transfers that have come into the club. Every next manager has been a different style of play and then basically wanted to change. And you've ended up with three or four managers' players in their squad, and trying to get a cohesive way of playing."
Neville proceeded to call on directors Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada and Sir Dave Brailsford to "earn their corn" amid tough times. However, it will take monumental change at numerous level of the club to have Old Trafford feeling less like a morgue anytime soon.
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