England women's football manager Phil Neville steps down with immediate effect
The former Manchester United and Everton player leaves after three years in the role, with Hege Riise taking interim charge.
Football
Phil Neville has left his role as England women's football team manager.
The English Football Association (FA) confirmed his departure on Monday (18th January), with immediate effect.
The former Manchester United and Everton men's player has agreed a two-year deal to become the boss of David Beckham's MLS franchise Inter Miami.
Neville took the England women's job in January 2018 on a contract until the summer of 2021.
Under his watch, the team won a maiden SheBelieves Cup in March 2019, before finishing fourth at the 2019 World Cup in France.
But after failing to retain the SheBelieves title, the 43-year-old announced his intention to step down in April 2020.
The team's performances helped ensure Great Britain qualify to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021.
The FA director of women’s football, Sue Campbell, praised Neville's contribution, saying “After steadying the ship at a challenging period, he helped us to win the SheBelieves Cup for the first time, reach the World Cup semi-finals and qualify for the Olympics."
"He did much to raise the profile of our team. He has used his platform to champion the women’s game, worked tirelessly to support our effort to promote more female coaches and used his expertise to develop many of our younger players."
The FA announced that former USA assistant coach Hege Riise, who won Olympic gold as a player with Norway at Sydney 2000, would join the coaching staff and take charge of the team for their February training camp, supported by former Canada international Rhian Wilkinson and Kay Cossington.
A decision on a permanent replacement would be made in due course.