Phil Neville sends text and WhatsApp messages to his England Women players on a daily basis to “know every facet” of their lives.

The manager, whose team play Wales in a pivotal World Cup qualifier in Newport on Friday night, believes it is impossible to coach properly unless you understand the player as a person. “The first month after I took over, I messaged players maybe once or twice a week but now I speak every single day with every single player,” Neville said.

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“I text them individually and we have 30 WhatsApp groups, one for every player. It’s the only way we can be in constant contact. It means that every single minute of the day I know what players are doing.

“I know every part of their lives. I know about their animals; if they’ve got a dog I know its name. My players love their dogs. I know about their partners, I know if they go to the cinema – it’s the detail you need to be successful. If they have an ice cream I know about it.”

Neville regards such contact as part of a holistic, emotionally intelligent approach to management. “You’ve got to build relationships,” he said. “We’ve got this new culture now and for me to know every facet of my players’ lives is important.”

With England a point behind Wales at the top of their group, Neville hopes this philosophy will help secure the win that would enable them to qualify automatically for next summer’s finals in France.

“Modern-day coaching is about relationships so I need to know every little thing that will make my players tick,” he said. “How am I going to get more out of our best players, from Fran Kirby, Lucy Bronze? Lucy wants to be challenged. If you tell her she can’t do something she’ll try it.”

The Lyon right-back appreciates his emphasis on winning hearts and minds. “It’s good the manager’s concerned about every single player,” Bronze said. “He wants to know all about how you’re feeling. It helps us all because everybody knows he cares.”

Jordan Nobbs agrees. “We want to be a strong team on and off the pitch so little things like Phil texting us all build into a big picture,” said the Arsenal midfielder. “There’s banter but his texts do make you watch your step – and what you post on Instagram!”

Neville’s broader vision involves England excelling at France 2019 but, first, Wales must be confronted. He feels Jayne Ludlow’s team – still to concede a goal in qualifying and who drew 0-0 with England at Southampton – have developed a “siege mentality” as they strive for the victory which would send them to a first World Cup.

Although England have a game in hand and could qualify courtesy of a point at Newport and another draw in their final group game in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, they and Wales are anxious to avoid the play-offs – the fate of the four best second-place finishers across seven groups.

Quick guide Wales v England World Cup qualifier starting lineups Show Hide Probable teams Wales (4-3-3): O’Sullivan (Cardiff City); Roberts (Liverpool), Ladd (Birmingham), Ingle (Chelsea), Dykes (Bristol City); James (Everton), Rowe (Reading, Fishlock (Seattle Reign); Harding (Reading), Green (Brighton), Ward (Watford) England (4-1-2-3): Bardsley (Manchester City); Bronze (Lyon), Houghton (Manchester City), Bright (Chelsea), Greenwood (Manchester United); Walsh (Man City); Scott (Man City), Kirby (Chelsea); Nobbs (Arsenal), Taylor (Seattle Reign), Duggan (Barcelona) TV Live on BBC2, kick-off 7.45pm

“Wales are really well coached,” Neville said. “Their system’s difficult to break down and we got frustrated in April. At the time we weren’t physically in the best shape. The Manchester City and Chelsea players were in the Champions League and looked shattered.”

Not that Neville sympathised. “I actually got really angry with them in April,” he said. “It was probably the first time the younger ones had been playing three games a week and travelling to Europe. It was a shock.

“But I said: ‘Where else do you want to be? If you don’t want to be in the Champions League or cup finals you’re in the wrong sport.’ I always want and expect more from players; they need challenging. Hopefully next April they’ll handle things better but now they’re refreshed, they’ve got so much energy I can’t shut them up.”

While Neville has suggested he will rotate his goalkeepers, Carly Telford, Karen Bardsley and Mary Earps, on a “horses for courses” basis, Steph Houghton, England’s captain, will return at centre-half following knee surgery.

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“We’ll have Steph 100% fit and we’ve not had that,” Neville said. “Steph’s back to where she was three or four years ago – and now we’ve got players who can push her.”

They include Houghton’s fellow Manchester City defender Abbie McManus. “I brought Abbie into my team and she’s been great,” Neville said. “A lot of people told me Abbie wasn’t good enough but she’s proved them wrong.”

If Neville has clearly succeeded in transmitting his meritocratic message to McManus, she is not alone. “It’s not just about one or two people,” Bronze said. “Phil has bought into every single player – not just in the current squad but beyond it. Everyone feels appreciated. It helps to know you’re needed.”