Gary Neville believes Robbie Savage deserves plaudits for the career he has carved out for himself following the footballer-turned-pundit's public spat with Chelsea captain John Terry.
Terry hit out at Savage recently after saying he would only accept criticism of his indifferent form this season from pundits such as Jamie Carragher, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville because the trio had been "the very best" during their playing days.
"When others speak, maybe I don’t take it on the chin. When players have not had a career, played at a really bad level in their career… Robbie Savage being one," Terry said during Chelsea's pre-Champions League press conference.
The remarks made headlines and caused a stir on social media before Savage responded by saying everyone is entitled to an opinion about football and said the game was "doomed" if criticism was only valid if it came from players who had played at the highest level.
And Neville has now backed Savage after saying he admires the football pundit for using his upbringing at Manchester United to maximise his career - something he believes not a lot of people would have been able to do.
Speaking to the Sunday People, Neville said: "I played with Robbie in the early days when he was in our youth team at Manchester United.
"From my point of view, I think well done to him, even though he does things differently and sometimes says things or behaves in a way that maybe you and I wouldn’t.
"I actually think he has done really well to be like he is and do what he’s done.
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"That deserves some plaudits as far as I am concerned because not a lot of people can do that.
"He has maximised everything out of his career and his life and, ultimately, that comes down to the upbringing we all had at United under Nobby Stiles, Sir Alex Ferguson and Eric Harrison.
"You were never let off in anything in those days. You had to keep going all the time and Robbie Savage has those qualities."
