Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Sachin Nakrani

Valencia appoint Gary Neville – as it happened

Gary Neville remains in his role with England.
Gary Neville remains in his role with England. Photograph: BPI/Rex Shutterstock

Adiós!

Well that’s it from me. Thanks for joining me over the last few hours as I’ve tracked reaction, and posted relevant videos/tweets/articles, regarding Gary Neville’s shock appointment as Valencia head coach. Hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen and read.


There’s already loads of Neville-related content at theguardian.com which more to come later. Enjoy!

I should also say that Manchester United have also commented on Gary’s move to Valencia. And well done them for not forgetting about ummm...errrr...Phil! Yes, Phil.

Meanwhile over at the BBC...



Word spreading across Sky Sports Towers of today’s BREAKING NEWS





The Press Association sports journalist Simon Peach had put together a handy Q&A regarding Gary Neville’s move to Valencia:

Gary Neville - Valencia head coach? This seems a bit out of the blue...
You would be right. Neville has long been seen as a future manager, but making your first footsteps into management abroad and with a club like Valencia is as surprising as it is intriguing. That said, given Valencia’s majority owner Peter Lim also owns half of Salford City along with the Class of 92, perhaps it should not have been.

Hold on, I thought it was Phil Neville at Valencia?
Yes, younger brother Phil has been at the Mestalla since July. The former Manchester United and England Under-21s coach had been working under former head coach Nuno, whose void he will help to fill along with interim boss Voro in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey trip to Barakaldo and Saturday’s mouth-watering clash with Barcelona.

When will we see Gary in Spain then?
Given his determination to succeed, it would not be a surprise to see Neville in the stands for the Barakaldo match. He will be unveiled to the media at a press conference at the Mestalla on Thursday at 3pm UK time, with his first day in the job this Sunday. It means Neville’s first match as head coach is next Wednesday’s Champions League match with Lyon - a game Valencia have to win to stand any chance of making it out Group H. No pressure then...

What does the new job mean for his role as England coach?
According to the Football Association, Neville’s role as England coach in Roy Hodgson’s set-up is unchanged. In fact, the well-travelled manager believes it will benefit England going forwards. Unsurprisingly, the odds on Neville succeeding Hodgson as national team manager have shortened since the Valencia announcement.

How about his job at Sky Sports? Is he going to juggle that, too?
Unfortunately not, Monday Night Football fans - Neville has left his role as analyst with immediate effect. It was clearly a wrench to leave Sky Sports, but the company’s managing director Barney Francis says “the door will always be open should he wish to return”.



Valencia are currently eight in La Liga, but there was a time when they were top dogs in the division, specifically, and most recently, in 2004, when they won the title under some bloke called Rafa Benítez.

For those who want a reminder of those heady days, and that includes you Gary, here’s a dramatic montage:

An interesting set of tweets from Andy Cummings, who lives in Valencia:

Well done to LordPesk for being the first (and so far, only) person to reply to the ‘What is Gary Neville pointing at?’ caption competition from earlier:

“I imagine it’s a successful international team. Or at least one that can manage more than 3 passes without surrendering possession”.

Harsh! ... but fair.

In case you’re not aware already, there is a common thread linking Valencia to Salford City - Peter Lim.

Lim, a 62-year-old billionaire who hails from Singapore and made his fortune trading stocks and shares, owns the La Liga Club and has a 50% stake in Salford, which he co-owns alongside The Class of 92, who, as we are constantly and mercilessly reminded, is made up of the Neville brothers, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.

Now I’m not saying Neville got the head coach’s job at Valencia because of his ties with Lim, but I am heavily implying it.

Roy Hodgson has spoken! Yes, the England manager has peered over his leather-bound copy of The Unbearable Lightness of Being and commented on his assistant’s departure to Spain.

I expect Gary is rather busy at the moment, what with saying goodbye to Jamie and Ed, Roy and Wayne, all those players at Salford City who have been on TV a lot recently ...

But if you can spare five minutes Gaz, I do recommend you watch this tourist guide video to Valencia. Well done sir, your new home looks bloody lovely.

Updated

The Guardian’s ever-marvellous Donald McRae interviewed Gary Neville in August 2013. It was a far-reaching chat in which Neville discussed topics ranging from his work with Sky to his belief that English football needed to introduce a quota system in order to bring through more young, homegown talent.

I do recommend you taking time out of your day to read Don’s piece in full.

Bravo Bleacher Report

Oh Richard let it go, they sacked you because you said lots of naughty words



For anyone wondering what all the fuss is about regarding Neville leaving Monday Night Football...

Neville’s move to Valencia is, of course, a huge blow for Sky Sports. The former Manchester United defender has become an integral part of their punditry team, with his work on Monday Night Football setting a new standard for how former pros talk about current ones.

Sky Sports managing director, Barney Francis, has wished Neville well and said the “door will always be open” to the 40-year-old returning to the broadcaster should things not work out at the Mestalla.

That’s all well and good but there’s an empty chair beside Ed Chamberlain that needs to be filled. So who gets the gig? Here are some made-up runners and riders alongside some made-up odds:

Jamie Redknapp 5-2
Thierry Henry 4-1
Matt Le Tissier 9-2
Paul Merson 20-1
Steven Gerrard 88-1
Robbie Savage 100-1
Phil Neville 150-1


Right, I’m back. Blimey it’s cold out there.

So as you can imagine, there’s been a lot of reaction already to Neville’s decision to become Valencia’s head coach until the end of the season. The club itself have been tweeting away, which this one in particular catching the eye:

Just what is Neville pointing at to leave Wayne Rooney, James Milner, Fabian Delph, Jordan Henderson and Michael Carrick looking so confused? Answers on an email please.

Updated

Preamble

So there I was, minding my own business, staring at the gleaming walls inside Guardian Towers, counting down the minutes until I could pop down to the nearby Pret and grab a ham and egg sandwich, when someone nearby mentioned that Sky Sports News had a major announcement to make.

“Yeah, whatever,” I replied. “It’ll probably be nothing, like always.” ....

“Gary Neville, what now?”

So yes, Gary Neville is the new head coach at Valencia. It’s the type of story to make you rub your eyes, test your hearing and ask what this all means for Phil. Poor sod, been living in his brother’s shadow for years and now he’ll literally be standing in it as Gaz barks orders from the Mestalla technical area.

There are so many questions, namely who fills the chair and takes over the laser-pen duties at Monday Night Football, alongside Jamie Carragher? The former Liverpool defender must be gutted to be losing his trusted sidekick, although he has tried his best to make light of the shock departure:

I’m going to stay on top of the reaction to this story for the next couple of hours. Allow me 10 minutes, though, while I get that sarnie. Starving here.

Updated

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Is ‘period syncing’ real? Two reproductive health experts explain
Have you ever heard two or more women say they’re on the same cycle?
The Conversation
The Conversation
Why Are the Pussycat Dolls a Trio Now? What We Know About the Rest of the Original Members
The Pussycat Dolls return as a trio after years of disputes, legal battles and stalled reunions. Explore how one of pop's biggest girl groups changed and evolved.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
“Is There More To It Beyond Grief?”: Photos Of Kelly And Sharon Osbourne Continue To Raise Alarm Among Friends
“Why this cadaverous-looking woman was up on stage, next to her similarly frail mother, instead of under strict medical care,” Times of London columnist Hadley Freeman said.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Get Ready for the Resurgence of Valentino Rockstud Pumps
The It shoe of the mid-aughts is having a glow-up.
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Yes, A Reminders Of Him Star Really Did Sunburn His Butt Prepping For A Nude Scene
Ouch!
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
The Cast Member SNL Has Used The Most This Season Is Still Just A Featured Player
No one has gotten more screen time this season.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play