Gary Neville's close ties with Valencia owner mean he won't be out on a Lim in Spain

Gary Neville has joined Valencia as head coach until the end of the season

GARY NEVILLE has close ties with Peter Lim, the owner of Valencia.

 

He did, after all, persuade the Singapore businessman to take a 50 per cent stake in Salford City from his consortium that also includes his brother Phil, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.

So perhaps he will be hoping for a rather more positive outcome in the relationship than that endured by another of Lim's friends, Nuno Espirito Santo - Neville's predecessor at the Mestalla.

 

Nuno was Lim's man, installed in July last year before his takeover of the club was even complete. Crucially, the former goalkeeper was also the first client of the super agent Jorge Mendes.

Fans were not enamoured of Nuno or his playing style and slowly turned against him despite a 50 per cent win record that took them to fourth place and into the Champions League qualifying rounds.

And the influence of Mendes appears strong too, with players such as Rodrigo Moreno and Aymen Abdennour brought in, but to very little effect.

It has left supporters pining for the glory years of a decade ago, which included a La Liga-UEFA Cup double. And makes the task facing the Neville brothers - Phil was appointed assistant coach in July - all the more awkward.

His first match will be in the Champions League against Olympique Lyon next Wednesday. They lie in third place in Group H with one round of matches to go.

And they are ninth in La Liga, with 19 points from 13 games.