Gary Neville calls for end to US owners in English football following Boehly’s All-Star suggestion

Gary Neville has called American investment in English football a ‘danger’ to the fabric of the game as he hit out at suggestions on how to improve the game from Chelsea owner Todd Boehly.

The former Manchester United player’s comments seemingly came in response to Boehly’s interview at a conference in New York on Tuesday.

Writing on Twitter on Wednesday, Neville pointed to the need for a football regulator more than ever and said the game in Britain needed to be protected from US investment.

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly calls for a ‘north versus south’ Premier League All-Star game

‘I keep saying it but the quicker we get the regulator in the better,’ he wrote. ‘US investment into English football is a clear and present danger to the pyramid and fabric of the game.

‘They just don’t get it and think differently. They also don’t stop till they get what they want!’

Boehly, who acquired Chelsea this summer alongside investment firm Clearlake Capital, has drawn controversy in the last 24 hours for comments he made regarding an all-star game in the Premier League and ways in which relegation could be altered. 

Gary Neville has said English football needs to be protected from American investment

Speaking at the SALT conference in New York, Boehly said: ‘I hope the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports and really starts to figure out, “Why wouldn’t we do a tournament with the bottom four teams? Why isn’t there an All-Star game?

‘You could do a North vs South All-Star game in the Premier League and fund whatever the pyramid needed very easily. Everyone likes the idea of more revenue for the League.’

On relegation, the Chelsea co-owner suggested: ‘Those relegation games are some of the highest broadcast games.

‘Ultimately, I hope the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson out of the American sports teams and really start to think about why don’t we do a tournament with the bottom four teams.’

Neville previously labelled the Chelsea owner as ‘Todd Woodward’ in reference to Manchester United’s former vice-chairman Ed – by comparing their approach in the transfer market

Neville then hit out further at Boehly’s ‘scattergun’ approach in response to a Chelsea fan

Boehly had faced criticism from some quarters prior to his comments at the conference this week, not least from Neville himself. 

With Chelsea appearing desperate in the transfer market, Neville jokingly mocked the owner, calling him ‘Todd Woodward’ in reference to United’s former chief executive. 

‘Your man Todd Woodward needs to stop wandering round like a kid in a sweet shop,’ he wrote on Twitter.

When a Chelsea fan sought to defend the American billionaire, Neville replied: ‘It’s just scattergun and unsustainable. I doubt this approach will go well.’

Neville once again called him ‘Todd Woodward’ following Chelsea’s sacking of Thomas Tuchel last week. 

The United legend has long been against American ownership, largely as a result of the Glazer family, and Neville has frequently hit out against the family for their running of his former club.

Neville has decided to refer to Boehly as ‘Todd Woodward’ in reference to Manchester United’s former chief executive Ed Woodward