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The Football Association’s statement dropped online just after midday on Wednesday, its glowing sentiments mingling with the outpouring of goodwill generated by Gary Neville’s appointment as Valencia’s head coach. Roy Hodgson expressed delight that one of his right-hand men had taken this “excellent opportunity”, the tone of his assessment never wavering from the upbeat and positive.
He spoke of Neville adding “an extra string to his bow” and of the clear benefits it would have for the national team given that the coach’s part-time role on the staff would, according to the England manager, be unaffected. Rather, the 40-year-old will arrive at next summer’s European Championship armed with six months of unanticipated elite managerial experience in La Liga, having also tasted life in the dugout in the Champions League and, if the team stumble in next week’s group game against Lyon, the Europa League. The old school in Hodgson will have rejoiced at the thought of Neville unplugging that oversized iPad and cutting his teeth in more conventional manner with the nitty-gritty on the touchline.
“As someone who has spent a large part of my coaching career working abroad, I salute his decision and hope he gains as much from his time in Spain as I have done from the various countries which I have worked in,” concluded Hodgson. That, of course, ignored the possibility that, should Neville thrive in Spain over the next few months and England fail to impress in France, then the clamour for the younger man to take charge of the national team might become deafening. After all, both are out of contract at the end of the Euros, by which time Neville’s own short-term deal at the Mestalla may have run its course.
What is clear is that the England right-back everyone took for granted, turned Sky pundit whose analysis pretty much everyone will miss, has a mouth-watering opportunity. His is a brave decision, the risk obvious at leaving the comfort of that television studio and a job he had made his own for a club whose internal politics – there have been 15 coaches in as many years – have threatened implosion too often. The next few months, when he will wrestle with a new language and rely heavily on the insight already accrued by his brother, Phil, into the goings-on at Valencia, will effectively be billed as an audition.
This is a man who has been earmarked by many as a future England manager, and even for the same role at Manchester United, which he himself may consider the ultimate prize, without ever boasting the coaching experience either role requires. Hodgson had suggested in February that Neville had “a decision to make in the next 18 months” but would eventually become a “very fine manager”. There have been murmurings for a while that he should test himself. He is now doing just that. He deserves credit for taking the leap.
It is the timing some might question. England recently completed a pristine European qualification and will approach Saturday week’s draw for the finals with relish. They have a young, exciting squad who have undoubtedly enjoyed working with a man whose feats as a player, eight Premier League titles and a European Cup, are still fresh, even in their memories. But if Neville’s role with England will not be affected by the reality “that he will be coaching abroad during the next five months”, as Hodgson suggested, then what input was he providing to the national set-up?
On one level his England duties outside international windows will have to slip slightly down the list of priorities. Neville did not operate as a hands-on scout for the national team, attending Premier League games every weekend with his England cap on like Hodgson and Ray Lewington. Rather, his knowledge of the talent pool was stocked via his role as an analyst with Sky, dissecting games every weekend. He may travel to Spain intent on watching as much Premier League football as he did back in Blighty but he will have opposition teams, and players, to scrutinise as he attempts to haul his new club from ninth back into the upper echelons of the Primera Liga. The good intentions will be there but the hours in the day may be lacking.
Yet his influence was always felt most keenly on the training pitches – and never as a high-profile layer out of cones – or the team camp, and that much should not change. Neville only recently completed his Uefa Pro Licence at St George’s Park but he has already made an impression on senior management with his tactical tweaks and suggestions. He had pushed for England to field the diamond formation in Basel in the opening group game of the recent qualification campaign and the visitors duly secured a 2-0 victory from what appeared to be their most daunting fixture in the section.
He is active and innovative in sessions, bringing intensity and never afraid to offer his thoughts or suggestions on how best to get more from the players available. In essence, he has become a sounding board for management and players. He bridges the gap between the youngest English squad of recent times and a 68-year-old manager, for all that Hodgson still commands huge respect in the set-up. Neville will continue to fill all those coaching and behind-the-scenes roles through to next summer but will now be able to approach them having experienced life as a top level manager. Where is the drawback?
Valencia may give the impression it can be a madhouse but taking on that challenge should improve Neville’s credentials, not damage them. He should return to St George’s Park before the friendlies against Holland and Germany in the spring with his standing enhanced. Regardless, given the relative paucity of options likely to be available if Hodgson is not retained next summer, the FA could do with him making his mark in Spain. Alternative candidates have rather fallen by the wayside of late. Gareth Southgate’s stock was damaged by the Under-21s’ failings at last summer’s European Championship, while Garry Monk’s stock is not quite what it was. One would suspect Crystal Palace would resist any attempts to prise Alan Pardew away from Selhurst Park. Yet all that is for the future.
At present Neville has his chance and must now convince a sceptical public in Spain that he has not merely been installed on celebrity work-experience by a friendly owner, a young coach grooming himself for perceived bigger roles back home.
Valencia should be contenders in Spain, a club who must have watched Atlético Madrid’s disruption of the usual duopoly two years ago and wondered why that was not them competing for the title. Mid-table is unacceptable at the Mestalla and the brothers abroad must kickstart a revival. If Gary Neville does that, then his reputation will soar.
