PHIL NEVILLE will use the England Women job as a stepping stone to a career in men’s football management, former Lionesses winger Rachel Yankey said yesterday.

The Football Association’s controversial appointment of Neville, who has no past experience of working in the women’s game, saw him handed a contract through to the 2021 European Championship.

Yankey said she had no problem with Neville being appointed if the FA considered him the pick of the crop of contenders and added: “Now we’ve got an ex-pro male footballer working in the women’s game, so perhaps we will see an ex-pro female footballer working in the men’s game.”

But she suspects Neville may not hang around for too long with England.

“Is he looking to get into the men’s game and manage there? Yeah, I’m sure he is,” Yankey said.

“For him it probably will be used for progression, but what I’d love to see is for him to help female coaches.”

Long-serving former captain Casey Stoney appears likely to have a role on Neville’s coaching team, in a move that may end her England playing career.

Yankey, who won 129 caps from 1997 to 2013, may also feature in Neville’s thinking as he pieces together his staff.

The former Arsenal forward said: “Yes he is the manager now, but it looks like the FA is trying to build more of a team ethic and perhaps bring in another female coach in the future.

“We don’t know whether he is going to be the best manager or coach, but just to be able to sit in a room with him and talk to him about what he has done will surely be invaluable to the players.”

Neville collected a hoard of medals during his Manchester United career and also played with Everton and England for many years.

He will pick his first squad next month for March’s SheBelieves Cup and may need guidance from the likes of Stoney and former caretaker boss Mo Marley on which players should be involved in the tournament, staged in the United States, which features England, US, Germany and France.

It remains to be seen whether Eni Aluko will be recalled, although it is understood she would be available to England if called on.

Former England boss Mark Sampson was found by an independent barrister last year to have made comments to Aluko and fellow Chelsea player Drew Spence that were racially discriminatory and “ill-judged attempts at humour.” Aluko’s evidence to the culture, media and sport committee caused embarrassment at the FA, but there may yet be an international comeback for the 102-cap striker.