Valencia challenge too big to turn down, says Neville

New Valencia coach Gary Neville has said that the challenge of managing the La Liga side was so enticing that he could not afford to turn it down.

The former Manchester United and England player was announced on Wednesday as Valencia’s surprise new boss until the end of the season, following the resignation of Nuno Espirito Santo two days before.

“I have been offered many jobs in football over the last four or five years but the timing has not been right,” Neville told a news conference in Valencia yesterday.

“When I received the call on Sunday evening about this job I thought ‘what an opportunity, what a challenge’. I thought it was the time to stand up and I would lose respect if I turned down this job with a great club and huge history.

“(Learning) Spanish will be a big challenge. I will take classes every day but I have a small problem as I will need to get hold of a Spanish teacher who will be prepared to get up at 6am every day.”

Valencia are ninth in La Liga with 19 points from 13 games. Interim coach Salvador Gonzalez, with Gary’s brother Phil Neville as his assistant, will oversee tomorrow’s clash against leaders Barcelona.

Expectations are high at Valencia on the back...