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Neville has garnered acclaim for his analysis with Sky. Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport

Gary Neville was approached to be part of RTE's punditry team - Dunphy

The ex-Man United defender was reportedly enthusiastic about the station’s proposal.

GARY NEVILLE WAS last year approached and asked to be part of the RTE punditry team, according to Irish soccer analyst Eamon Dunphy.

The former Man United man has been widely praised for his efforts in making the transition to punditry, and Dunphy says RTE were keen to sign him up.

However, Neville’s contractual situation with Sky is understood to have prevented him from making the move.

“They actually approached him last year before the European Championships,” Dunphy told TheScore.ie.

“And he said he’d love to because he’d heard it was good fun and that we did it well. But unfortunately, he wasn’t able to contractually.”

Dunphy, however, believes there is one issue with Neville that sometimes gets overlooked.

“I think he’s excellent but I think he has a problem — he’s coaching the England team and attempting to be a pundit, which I think is a conflict of interest to many.”

Nevertheless, he also went on to suggest that such issues may not necessarily be problematic.

“He’s also heavily associated with Manchester United, but I saw him do analysis of West Brom versus United and I thought he was good and rigorous.

“I think it’s a big upgrade and I think Souness is very good as well on Sky. I think being with RTE for a while helped him. It chilled him out and I think he’s very knowledgeable and speaks well and isn’t afraid to call it as he sees it.

“But I don’t think that of Alan Shearer, for example,” he adds. “He gives bland a bad name.”

And while he is impressed by Neville, there is another analyst who Dunphy would be particularly happy to see eventually take his place once he retires.

“Richie Sadlier’s a good lad. He’s forthright and intelligent. He calls it as he sees it. So I think he’s very good.

“Others will come along. Irish footballers, in particular, are generally articulate, thoughtful guys.

“Bill’s retiring next year so Darragh Maloney will be the anchorman. And Darragh’s excellent –he’s a really good broadcast journalist and he knows his stuff.

“And Liam will be around for a while. He’s a very good analyst and he’s been a great player, so Liam will be around.”

The Rocky Road by Eamon Dunphy is published by Penguin Ireland. More details can be found here.

‘He doesn’t like people’ – Dunphy dismisses Roy Keane’s credentials for Ireland job>

Keane remains the major doubt as King holds off on team announcement>

You can read our full interview with Eamon Dunphy on TheScore.ie this Sunday

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    Mute Tommy Kennedy
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    May 15th 2013, 6:18 PM

    Where is Tom Brady?

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    May 15th 2013, 6:30 PM

    Not in the US top 50, Tommy.

    Brees, Schaub and the Mannings are the QBs in there.

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    Mute Michael Milner
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    May 15th 2013, 7:03 PM

    Didn’t Brady accept a lower salary so the Patriots could free up cash for the rest of the squad, given salary cap restrictions in the NFL.

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    Mute Pól Leavy
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    May 15th 2013, 7:15 PM

    Longer deal so money is freed up initially and he has guaranteed cash longer term!!

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    Mute colm connolly
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    May 15th 2013, 8:04 PM

    Brady is a legend, I know the word is overused but he really is and his dedication to the pats is amazing, it’s a shame wes wekler has left as he brought out the best in Brady

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    Mute Shane Cafferty
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    May 15th 2013, 8:58 PM

    Brady brought the best out of welker in my opinion.

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    Mute colm connolly
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    May 15th 2013, 10:53 PM

    Well ya they were good for each other Brady is obviously the better player but it will be interesting to see how wes gets on with Payton manning

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    Mute David Gibson
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    May 16th 2013, 12:01 AM

    He took a paycut this year so that the pats could sign a bigger name player within the salary cap

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    Mute Paul Quigley
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    May 16th 2013, 5:21 AM

    49ers for super bowl lads – who needs brady when ye have kaepernick !!!

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    Mute Lou Brennan
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    May 15th 2013, 11:59 PM

    The World is one sick Mother f*****g place. Bring on the Ice age I say

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    May 15th 2013, 9:36 PM

    Beckham earning more than messi?? Shocking stuff Ted

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    Mute Niall Skip Murphy
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    May 15th 2013, 11:46 PM

    Any distinction between ‘earnings’ and ‘winnings’?

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    May 16th 2013, 10:26 AM

    I remember seeing before nearly all the top 10 earn the major share off sponsorships but mayweather is the only one who gets nothing from sponsorship all winnings.

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    May 16th 2013, 1:27 AM

    Is Tenniser a word?

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    May 16th 2013, 10:59 PM

    Where’s Paul Mcshane?

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