Neville will leave his role as England Women head coach when his contract expires in July 2021
Tuesday 28 April 2020 12:16, UK
England defender Millie Bright has thanked outgoing head coach Phil Neville for taking "risks" during his time with the Lionesses.
Neville confirmed he will leave his role as England Women head coach when his contract expires in July 2021, having taken charge back in January 2018.
The former Manchester United and Everton defender enjoyed early success when leading them to a 2019 SheBelieves Cup win and a World Cup semi-final later that year, but he has since lost seven of 11 games.
Despite the dip in the form, Bright - a regular starter under Neville at centre-back - praised the England boss for using his influence to help the women's game.
"It's sad. You never want to see a manager go, you never want it to come to that. Obviously Phil has done it for his own reasons," Chelsea's Bright told Sky Sports News.
"On behalf of the team, everyone is very grateful for what he has done for the game, not just for us as a squad and the memories that we've made.
"For the game, he's changed it a lot. He's really put his voice out there and took risks to change the game and get the women's team everything they deserve, that we deserve.
"I'd like to say thanks to him on behalf of the whole team, I'm sure they'll be on board.
"It's part of the game I guess, as a player you have to move on from that. Phil is committed until next year, and then we have to continue the journey, growing as a squad and keep pushing the boundaries to make sure we're ready for the next big tournament."
World Wish Day is on April 29th, and Millie Bright is working with Make A Wish Foundation to raise funds for terminally ill children and their families
Attentions will now turn to who could replace Neville, especially for the Euros, and The Mirror's chief football writer, John Cross, discussed the idea of the next manager having to be a woman.
He told the Sunday Supplement: "I think it's an odd one. It's clearly a directive put forward by Sue Campbell, who is head of the women's game.
"I actually think you appoint the best person for the job and that's not necessarily a male or female appointment. I'm surprised there's such a clear directive and I actually feel quite strongly about this that you always go for the best person for the job.
"The ideal for the men's game is that it goes through the pathway, it goes through St George's Park and of course you want to follow that. The FA wants to follow that for Gareth Southgate's successor so why not in the women's game, but I just feel you should appoint the best person possible for the role, to take on this job and to push it onto the next level because I do feel Neville has taken it on and really improved the women's national team."
