Neville against foreign owners

Everton skipper sceptical of overseas investment

By Ben Collins   Last updated: 13th June 2008

Neville against foreign owners

Neville: Wary of overseas influence

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Everton captain Phil Neville does not believe that foreign investment would be in the best interests of the club.

The Toffees have yet to spend during the summer transfer market and would welcome some fresh financial input to boost their hopes of breaking into the Premier League's top four.

The England defender is wary of that coming from overseas having seen the impact of foreign owners at other Premier League clubs.

But Neville is confident that Everton chairman Bill Kenwright will not allow any foreign investors to wield their influence at Goodison Park.

Destabilise

"The chairman's a massive Everton fan, and there's no way that he'll let some Russian or American come in and destabilise our club," he told Sky Sports News.

"You've seen it with the Americans at Liverpool and with other Russian owners that they're a rule to their own.

"It does cause embarrassment for the club and hopefully that won't happen at Everton. I'm sure that as long as Bill Kenwright is in charge it won't happen because he's got the best interests of the club at heart.

"It's the people's club, and yes, it would be great to have that kind of finance, but sometimes you've got to keep the principles of the club intact as well."

Neville witnessed the opposition to the Glazers' takeover of Manchester United just before his departure for Goodison in 2005, but the Americans have helped the club return to its former glories.

Positive models

Compatriot Randy Lerner has also shown that overseas investment can work, helping Aston Villa finish in the top six last season, and Neville believes they are models for how all foreign owners should operate in the Premier League.

"I must say that the Aston Villa owner has conducted himself in the right way," he added.

"Just before I left United, the Glazers took over and I know there was a lot of people worried about how they would run the club.

"But I think they've kept themselves right in the background, they've not meddled in the team affairs and they've backed the manager to the hilt.

"They have done at Villa as well, and that's the way clubs should be run. It's about the team and the fans, not about the owner, and at these other clubs it seems to be more about the owner than it does about the team."