Enduring worst time in football: Valencia manager Neville

Image
IANS Barcelona
Last Updated : Feb 04 2016 | 1:48 PM IST

Valencia manager Gary Neville has admitted that he is enduring his worst time in football after a 0-7 thrashing by FC Barcelona in a La Liga match at the Nou Camp here.

The former Manchester United star's fledgling managerial career has run into trouble in its maiden season with Valencia struggling with poor results. The latest debacle in the away fixture against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night means Neville has led Valencia in eight Spanish league games without recording a win.

"I am not going to sleep well tonight. This is one of the worst experiences I've ever gone through in football. This was one of my most painful nights in football," Neville told the media after the match.

Star striker Luis Suarez scored four goals and world player of the year Lionel Messi clinched a hat-trick as Barcelona showcased an awesome display of firepower in front of their home crowd. The win saw the Catalan giants climb to sole lead on the league table with 51 points from 21 matches, three more than second placed Atletico Madrid, who have played 22 games.

Valencia meanwhile, languish at the 12th spot with 25 points from 22 matches. They are just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Neville, who was appointed Valencia manager last December, admitted that his team's performance was far from satisfactory, but reiterated his decision not to step down midway through the season, preferring instead to focus on the next league game against Real Betis on Sunday.

"The scoreline is unacceptable. I have not enjoyed tonight. I won't sleep well tonight. I didn't like what I saw. The fans didn't deserve that tonight. The people I feel most sorry for are the Valencia supporters. We have to recover incredibly quickly," the former England fullback said.

"We were playing against three of the best players in the world and we gave them three-on-twos I don't know how many times. It was unacceptable and we have to recover very quickly. We need to win a league game. I wish the match against Betis could start in 10 minutes.

"Positivity has been immovable in my life. I last had doubts as a player 18 years ago and from that moment on I developed coping mechanisms to deal with situations like this. I'm fine. Be clear, we have to deliver on Sunday," he added.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 04 2016 | 1:36 PM IST

Next Story