Phil Neville 'Embarrassed' For Shaw

Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville has told Sky Sports News HQ he would be "embarrassed" if Jose Mourinho's criticism of Luke Shaw had been levelled at him as a player.

Shaw received a scathing assessment of his lack of commitment and ambition from Mourinho after being left out of the match-day squad for the goalless draw with West Brom on Saturday.

Neville believes it to be a tactic from Mourinho to give Shaw "a kick up the backside" and does not necessarily think a player that cost United £30m in 2014 is sitting in the last-chance saloon.

"Having played at Manchester United, I think I'd be embarrassed as a player if those accusations were levelled at me in terms of training performances," Neville told Sky Sports News HQ.

"To play football at Manchester United you need to train at 110 per cent, you need to be determined and focused; the fundamentals of a professional footballer.

"He should be Man United's left-back; no question with the ability he's got. Something must be going fundamentally wrong. Ashley Young played left-back on Saturday and, if I was Luke Shaw, I would be thinking 'I should be playing ahead of Young at left-back', regardless to how good Young is.

"As a young person in life sometimes you need a kick up the backside and I just wonder whether it's a tactic from Jose to give him a bit of a jolt to say 'look, it's now or never Luke, you're wasting the opportunity that's in front of you, other players are ahead of you, you're fit, training every day, and your attitude needs to be right'.

"It could be just what Luke Shaw needs. Jose has probably got to the point where he probably feels it's not the last throw of the dice but a kick up the backside.

"If you speak to Manchester United and England fans, they'd say Shaw should be England's No 1 left-back and Manchester United's No 1 left-back. He should be a Manchester United full-back over the next 10 years.

"He has got a chance. You'd hope to think he does. I think Jose said it a month ago. You just wonder whether these strong comments are the final effort from Jose to shake Luke into form and realisation."

Phil Neville was speaking about the impact mums have on grassroots football as part of the 2017 McDonald's Football Mum of the Year award. Nominate a deserving mum now at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/awards

Credit: Skysports.com