Gary Neville Football Manager: Valencia appoint Man United legend

Gary Neville Valencia manager

Valencia have made a surprising appointment by making former Manchester United captain Gary Neville their new head coach.

This will be Neville’s first managerial role, although he has senior coaching experience at international level through a role in the England, which he will continue to do on a part-time basis, according to BBC Sport.

Neville had been working as a pundit for Sky Sports, but he will leave that job to pursue his Spanish adventure.

Six-time Spanish champions Valencia are currently ninth in La Liga, five points below fourth place.

Neville inherits a squad that includes several exciting attacking talents, such as Sofiane Feghouli and Alvaro Negredo.

However, former right-back Neville is likely to want to sure up a defence which has kept just one clean sheet in their last eight matches.

Neville will work with his younger brother Phil, who joined Valencia as assistant manager in July.

Valencia dispensed of their former head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, at the end of November.

BBC Sport claim that Neville will officially become Valencia’s new boss on Sunday, which means his first game in charge will be against Lyon in the Champions League on Wednesday, December 9.

Valencia have two matches before Sunday. They visit Barakaldo in the first leg of a Copa del Rey tie tonight, before hosting European champions Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday.