Valencia boss Gary Neville casts doubt on future in management after links to Manchester United and England

The former Manchester United full-back also says that he has found the language barrier between him and his players to be the biggest challenge

Mark Critchley
Sunday 03 January 2016 07:56 EST
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Valencia head coach Gary Neville
Valencia head coach Gary Neville (Getty Images)

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Gary Neville has ruled out a long-term future in management, despite taking up his first head coaching role at Valencia just over a month ago.

The former Manchester United right-back is still searching for a first league win with his new club, who currently sit 11th in La Liga, ahead of a trip to third-placed Real Madrid on Sunday.

Despite these difficulties, the 40-year-old has continued to be linked to the managerial role at Old Trafford and touted as England manager Roy Hodgson's replacement, with whom he works as an assistant coach.

Neville, however, has now suggested that he sees his future outside of management.

“I'm not going to say where I want to end up, and it isn't in management or head coaching, so I want to be clear about that,' Neville told Sky Sports.

“That's not my ultimate goal of where I want to be. From my point of view, I was really enjoying what I was doing, I really was, the multiple things I had on, even though I knew it was coming to a point where I had to make decisions at the end of this season.

“I think it is uncertain the amount of time I'll be here but (even) if I got given a five-year contract I think it would be uncertain about the amount of time I'd be here. That's why I'm relaxed,” he added.

Before joining Valencia, Neville was combining his work with England alongside his pundit role on Sky Sports, part-ownership of non-league club Salford City, a weekly national newspaper column and other entrepreneurial ventures, including his Hotel Football and Cafe Football chains.

In Spain, he has seen his side draw twice and suffer one defeat in La Liga since he assumed full control of first-team duties. The England coach also lost a crucial Champions League clash with Lyon, which eliminated Valencia from the competition.

Ahead of the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu, Neville, who works alongside his brother and assistant manager Phil at the Mestalla, also revealed that he has found the language barrier between himself and his players to be the most difficult obstacle to overcome.

“Without a shadow of a doubt the biggest challenge has been half-time, having to communicate through a translator, it's the most frustrating thing,” he said.

“It's my problem, I knew what I was getting into but that is the biggest frustration and challenge so far.”

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