Stunning news from Spain where Valencia that they have made former Manchester United star and current England assistant Gary Neville their new manager until the end of the season. Garry will link up with his brother Phil, who has been assistant manager at Valencia since July.
Neville will officially take charge after the Barcelona game this weekend, when he will begin preparing the team for the crucial Champions League clash at home to Lyon on Wednesday 9th, victory in which would be enough to secure a place in the knockout stages if Gent fail to beat Zenit.
Valencia president Lay Hoon Chan hailed the appointment as a coup:
“We are delighted to have secured Gary so quickly. He combines top-level coaching experience through his role as a senior coach with the England national team and a world-class playing career with England and Manchester United”.
“Throughout his career Gary has always shown great leadership both on and off the pitch. He is hugely respected in English football and it was his personal qualities which persuaded us that he was the right choice to lead Valencia until the end of the season”.
Gary, who has been tipped a future England manager, spoke in gushing terms about his new adventure:
“I am absolutely thrilled to be given this opportunity with Valencia. Valencia are a huge football club of immense standing and I know from my time as a player the passion and dedication of the Valencia fans”.
“I am really looking forward to working with the club’s talented group of players and am excited about the challenge ahead”.
It’s a big risk by Valencia owner Peter Lim, who part-owns non-League Salford City in England, along with the Neville brothers and their former Manchester United team-mates Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt to hire Gary Neville.
While Neville has been brilliant as a pundit, and has some experience as Roy Hodgson’s No.2 at England this is his first manager job. I find it really interesting that he went to Spain, where he will be under less scrutiny than if he had taken a job in England, to work.
