The BBC has defended Phil Neville after his debut as a World Cup pundit was widely mocked on Twitter. The former Manchester United player was criticised for being 'boring' and speaking in a 'monotone' during coverage of England's match against Italy on Saturday.
In a statement, the BBC said: 'Phil is an important, well respected member of our team and will continue to play a key role throughout the tournament, both as a studio guest and match commentator.'
Neville took the criticism in his stride, saying he would learn from the experience. He even retweeted a comment that gave him 7 out of 10, adding: 'I agree.'
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