Former England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville (right) with brother Phil.


AFP/Madrid


England assistant coach and Manchester United legend Gary Neville has been named Valencia boss for the rest of the season, the Spanish side announced yesterday.
“Valencia have reached an agreement with English coach Gary Neville for him to be coach of the first team until June 30, 2016,” the club said in a statement.
“Neville will officially begin his work on Sunday, December 6, ahead of the Champions League match against Lyon which will take place at Mestalla on Wednesday, December 9.”
Neville’s brother Phil has been at the club since the start of the season, working as an assistant to Nuno Espirito Santo before he left the club after a poor run of results last Sunday.
“I am very excited and feel very proud to have received this great opportunity with Valencia,” Neville was quoted as saying by the club’s website.
“It is a huge club of immense prestige and I remember well from my time as a player the great passion and loyalty of their fans.
“I am really looking forward to working with the club’s talented group of players and I am excited about the challenge ahead.”
Neville will be presented at a press conference at 4pm local time today.
The role is Neville’s first managerial post, but he will continue as part of England manager Roy Hodgson’s coaching staff ahead of next year’s European Championships.
“I’m delighted that Gary has decided to take this excellent opportunity. It’s the right moment in time for him and I’m 100 per cent behind his decision to join Valencia as the new head coach,” Hodgson told the Football Association’s website yesterday.
“As far as I’m concerned, this will be an extra string to his bow and the experience he will gain working in the Spanish league can only be beneficial to our work together with the England team.”
Neville won 20 trophies in a 19-year playing career at United as well as winning 85 England caps. However, he has been just as successful as a widely respected television pundit for Sky Sports since retiring in 2011.
Both Nevilles are well known to Valencia’s Singaporean owner Peter Lim due to their shared investment in non-league English side Salford City along with other Manchester United legends Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.
“We are delighted to have secured Gary so quickly,” said Valencia chairwoman Layhoon Chan in the club statement. “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.”
Valencia sit ninth in La Liga, five points off the top four, after a hugely disappointing start to the campaign.
Neville will be spared a debut against European champions Barcelona at the Mestalla on Saturday with caretaker boss Voro to take charge with Phil Neville. However, the 40-year-old’s first game in the hot seat against Lyon is a huge one for the club with victory allied to Gent failing to beat Zenit St Petersburg enough to send Valencia into the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in three years.