‘ Players need to trust PFA’s chief’

GARY NEVILLE says players must have complete faith in Gordon Taylor’s successor at the Professional Footballers’ Association. Taylor, the highest- paid trade union leader in the country on £ 2million a year, is NEVILLE: Part of selection panel stepping down at the end of the season after 40 years as PFA chief executive. Criticism of his leadership led to an independent review of the organisation.

An investigation by the Charity Commission is also ongoing.

Former Manchester United and England defender Neville, part of an independent selection panel that has appointed four nonexecutive advisors to oversee the recruitment of Taylor’s successor, said: “The new CEO will be somebody the players can trust, has integrity and they believe will respond to their needs.

“Gordon has done it for a long time but, similar to what happened with Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, everyone became tired of the same guy being in charge for a long time.

“Gordon was an ambassador for players, he fought for players and he made sure he defended players’ rights.

“This new individual has to do the same, but the response in 2020 is very different to what it was in the Nineties.

“They have to be an ambassador all players feel they can resonate towards, believe in, hang off their every word and take them with them on the journey.

“There is a massive opportunity here for the PFA to thrive in the next 10 to 15 years. Now is the time for change.”