The England manager explains why leading his players at the Women’s World Cup will be the absolute pinnacle of his career

I do my best thinking when I’m out running. When I’m out in the hills around Manchester, that’s when my head clears. That’s when I think about the things I’m going to say to my players in the biggest moments. Because those are the moments when they look to you for reassurance. For support, encouragement and belief. Those are the moments when, as a manager, you really have to earn your money.

Taking England to the Women’s World Cup this summer is the biggest thing that I’ve ever done in my professional life. Throughout my whole career as a player I dreamed about going to a World Cup. Now, I have the opportunity to go to one as the England women’s manager, with 23 unbelievably talented footballers who are desperate for success. Standing on the touchline as their manager fills me with incredible pride.

When the opportunity to apply for the job first came up, I remember speaking to my sister Tracey – the England netball coach – about it over a Christmas meal. I’d worked in the men’s game all my life, as a player and as a coach, so it would be a different challenge to any that I’d faced before. I wanted to gauge Tracey’s thoughts. Should I go for it? She didn’t hesitate: “You’ve got to. This will be the biggest and the best thing that you ever do.”

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The timing was perfect. I’d been coaching since the end of my playing career, first with England’s Under 21s, then Manchester United and finally, in Spain with Valencia. Now I wanted to be a manager. Whether that was on the men’s side, women’s side, academy football or junior football, I wasn’t bothered. I just wanted to have my own team. Wanted to build my own philosophy.

But as soon as I got the job, my mind started whirring. I started challenging myself: what am I going to be like as a manger? Are they going to listen to me? Are they going to enjoy my style? Are they going to be up to the challenges I’ll be putting in front of them? Is my philosophy good enough to be an England manager? To win a World Cup?

I was also incredibly excited. I couldn’t wait for the first training camp. The first session. The first meeting with the squad. That was the most important 30 minutes of my time so far as a manager, because that was the first contact I had with the players. It was my first opportunity to show them who I was and what I was about. To deliver my philosophy. My aims. My vision.

I prepared for it like I’ve never prepared for any meeting in my life. I wanted it to be slick and smooth, but I also wanted to be myself – to be authentic. We spoke a lot in that first meeting about winning. And not just winning the World Cup, the Olympics or the European Championship. It was about winning every single day.

Management is all-encompassing. That’s something I’ve learned since starting this job. I find it very difficult to switch off. I can be at the cinema or out for a meal with my wife and I’m thinking constantly about what my players are doing. How are they playing? Are they fit? Are they doing their recovery?

People say to me: “Just switch your phone off today.” But actually, as a manager you’ve got to be contactable 24 hours a day. You’ve got to be there for every single player. If you get that right, then you have a group of players who know that this is an England staff that cares about them – as players, but as people as well.

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We’ve been through a lot over the last 16 months. We’ve had ups and we’ve had real downs, both on and off the field. But at the end of the day, if I’m playing for a manager who I know cares about me, then I’m going to give more.

The bigger the challenge for my players so far, the more that they’ve stepped up. The more that they’ve enjoyed. The better they’ve performed. So, we go into the World Cup with a team full of confidence and belief. And with no fear.

I’ve been out running a lot lately. Thinking a lot. I already know what I’m going to say to the players before our opening game against Scotland. I know my team for that game, too. Just as I know my team for the next game against Argentina, and Japan after that. I like to prepare. To have a vision about how a game is going to go. And I like to get those pictures in my head early. To be decisive.

So, I know exactly what I’m going to say at what moment. I just hope it works. Tracey was right: this is the biggest and best thing I have ever done. It’s the absolute pinnacle for me. I can’t wait to stand on that touchline.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Phil Neville on his journey with the England team.

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