'Monotone' Neville surprise choice to replace Hansen on MOTD

Phil Neville will join a new-look Match of the Day team for next season as the BBC prepare for life after Alan Hansen.

Neville’s infamous monotone commentary on England’s opening World Cup match against Italy – which prompted 445 complaints – has not prevented the BBC from appointing the former Manchester United and Everton midfielder to its team of pundits for the highlights show.

He will also be covering games with BBC Radio Five Live and working on Football Focus.

Ruud Gullit and Rio Ferdinand will join the MOTD team alongside regulars Alan Shearer, Robbie Savage and Danny Murphy.

Neville joins long-time presenter Gary Lineker

Neville said on Twitter he was “delighted to join BBC Match of the Day for the new season, can’t wait to get started with the team”.

After his World Cup debut – his first ever match as a TV co-commentator - Neville admitted that the reaction on social media had been “pretty brutal” but that the public reaction after the three following games he had co-commentated on had been “amazingly positive”.

He may want to avoid the internet for the next while as not everyone has reacted with enthusiasm to the news of his appointment.

Gary Lineker starts his 16th year as Match of the Day presenter and his first without Hansen present as a pundit.