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NEV-ER AGAIN

Gary Neville admits that he may never coach again after painful four months at Valencia

Manchester United legend insists that other commitments must now take priority over life in the dug-out

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GARY NEVILLE admits that he may never coach again.

The Manchester United legend suffered a painful experience in his four months in charge at Valencia - where he won just ten of his 28 matches.

 Former Valencia boss Gary Neville says that he may never coach again due to his commitments away from football
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Former Valencia boss Gary Neville says that he may never coach again due to his commitments away from footballCredit: PA:Press Association
 Neville suffered a chastening four months in charge of Los Che
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Neville suffered a chastening four months in charge of Los CheCredit: Getty Images
 Neville in the Valencia dug-out with his brother Phil
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Neville in the Valencia dug-out with his brother PhilCredit: Getty Images

Neville insists other commitments will take priority in the short term and that he may not return to the dug-out ever again.

, Neville said: "I always say 'never say never' because my love of football is too great, but I genuinely believe it will be very difficult for me to go back into coaching because of my commitment now to so many different things.

"It's my obligation to deliver Salford City to the Football League. It's my obligation to roll out Hotel Football internationally.

"It's my obligation to deliver high-end restaurants with Michael O'Hare. It's my obligation to deliver St Michael's, which I believe is the best development in Manchester.

 

"I can't go back into coaching now in the short term - the next five years - and the reality of it is I don't want to.

"It could be that I'm no longer ever a coach in football but that's not a loss. Some people might think it is, but the fact of the matter is it's not to me."

Neville's stint alongside brother Phil at the Mestalla was most memorable for 7-0 thumping by Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.

But Neville refuses to give any excuses for the run of results which led to his axing six weeks before the end of the season.

He explained: "There is nothing worse than hearing someone give reasons for why they've failed - of course sometimes there are reasons - but you have to take the blame yourself.

 Neville's undoubted passion failed to yield results in Spain
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Neville's undoubted passion failed to yield results in SpainCredit: Corbis

"I cannot open that hotel and blame the general manager for it failing. Why? I appointed the general manager.

"I can't go to Spain for four months, be coach of Valencia, and blame the fact there was a difficult dressing room, I didn't speak the language, we had bad luck and we missed some chances.

"Why? Because I knew I didn't speak the language before I went, I knew it was a difficult dressing room, I knew they had sacked lots of managers and I didn't deal with it.

"People will always look at that externally and think it was a negative experience. For me personally, I lost football matches but what I gained was general experience of life, culture and appreciation for a different country.

 Neville was also an England coach for the failed Euro 2016 campaign
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 Neville was also an England coach for the failed Euro 2016 campaignCredit: Reuters

"I thought, 'When am I going to get offered an opportunity like this again?' An English manager coaching a top-four club in Spain.

"I knew I didn't speak the language and had been on courses where foreign coaches had talked about the challenges and problems when you don't speak the language.

"There were two or three big things I did wrong and should have been more insistent on, but I also knew the reason why the owner wanted me to take the job was because he didn't want a coach to come in, lump six players out, create more upheaval and bring six new coaches in."

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