The Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has revealed the true nature of his closely-watched relationship with his former Manchester United counterpart Gary Neville in a wide-ranging interview with Lucy Meacock on ITV’s Granada Reports.
Carragher now works alongside Neville as a pundit on Sky Sports and their Monday Night Football squealing matches have become compulsive viewing for football fans of all codes.
He’s revealed that he believes that there are certain parallels between the pair, although the pair didn’t get along when lining up across from each other.
“No. I didn’t like him.
“I think we were both very similar in what we were for our clubs.
“We weren’t the superstar player. We had Steven Gerrard and they had David Beckham or Eric Cantona.”
It was then put to the 40-year-old that he and Neville: “Look like best buddies” while working together on Monday nights.
Carragher wasn’t so sure about that one: “Looks! That’s certainly not the case!” he explained.
“No listen, he went into punditry three or four years before me. He’s been a revelation, he’s been absolutely brilliant,” he added.
So he has respect for Neville in a professional setting – but would ‘Carra’ spend some time outside of the studio with his old foe over a drink?
“Yeah, yeah! But only after the show. Not in our spare time or our free time. Oh no!”
That’s about as emphatic a put-down as he could have made. Could be a frosty reception awaiting Carragher next Monday in the Sky Studios!
It’ll likely prove worth watching next week, if only to see if Neville digs out these quotes in jest. You know you love him really, Jamie.