GARY Neville reveals how he was being lined up to succeed Roy Hodgson as England manager, along with the three English clubs who approached him to take on the role of head coach.
The Manchester United legend has become a highly sought-after coaching candidate following retirement.
He chose to become an analyst and later joined Roy Hodgson’s team as England’s assistant manager, presiding over the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
Between the two international campaigns, Gary Neville joined his brother Phil, who was working as an assistant at Valencia, and was appointed head coach.
Valencia owner Peter Lim already had a good relationship with Gary Neville, being a shareholder at Salford City, and believed he could replicate his business success on the pitch.
Neville revealed on the Stick to Football podcast that when he took up the role, then FA director Dan Ashworth (who is currently looking to join the Manchester United hierarchy) backed him as Roy Hodgson’s successor.
But the Manchester United legend only lasted four months in Spain.
He was sacked after winning just three games out of 16, with the low point being a 7-0 thrashing of Barcelona.
Gary Neville’s coaching experience
- Appointed England assistant coach in May 2012.
- Euro in 2012, where he was eliminated by Italy in the quarter-finals.
- 2014 World Cup, where England were eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 1958.
- Appointed head coach of Valencia in December 2015, but was fired three months later with a 35% win rate.
- He returned to England as head coach for Euro 2016, where they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Iceland.
- He left his role as England manager with a 59% win rate, partly due to the low standard of the opposition.
Speaking on Stick to Football, Neville said: “I remember getting the job at Valencia in December, and Dan Ashworth called me and said this was the perfect move for me to take the next step when Roy Hodgson decided he wanted to leave England. work, for me to take over.
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“I always remember that phone call and him saying this was the perfect opportunity, but I look back now and it was right that I failed at the job because I didn’t put in the work.
“With the way my work ethic is now, I needed to not have that slap-in-the-face moment, so I could get back to that, which is where I am now.”
The former England right-back also revealed the three clubs who approached him about taking on the manager’s role but turned them down in favor of focusing on their business and media roles.
“I was invited by Middlesbrough for an interview, Newcastle and Derby asked to speak to me, all the previous three years I was at Sky, and I said no to every offer because it wasn’t what I wanted to be. .
“I had started my business and my career in the media so I didn’t want to be a manager and I said no to Newcastle, which came from someone at Sky who had a contact at Newcastle because they wanted to speak to me, which was the same with Middlesbrough.
“And I’m not saying that would get me the job, but it could.
“I took the job at Valencia simply because I knew the owner and I felt I owed him something and I was loyal to him, he believed in me in terms of the business.
“But I didn’t want to coach and I didn’t want to coach, and I said no to Peter Lim the first time, but he said he really wanted me to do it.
“I signed a five-month contract and I didn’t last that long because it became impossible for Peter, for me and for everyone.”
Experts’ verdict on Ten Hag’s future
What are the experts’ stance on Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United?
Jamie Carragher – fired
“I don’t see how Erik ten Hag will stay. It’s just performance after performance.”
Gary Neville – Stay if you win the FA Cup
“Firing a manager who won two trophies in his first two seasons at the club would be extreme.”
Louis Saha – On the fence
“I don’t see it so clearly, but they need changes from the players, but they also need changes from him.”
Alan Shearer – fired
“I believe the future of the Man Utd manager has already been determined. Even if they win the FA Cup, I think he is gone.”
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