Gary Neville Is Probably Leaving Valencia In The Summer

The Gary Neville Experiment is likely coming to a merciful end.

The Guardian is reporting that while Neville’s position as Valencia manager is safe in the short term it’s unlikely that he’ll be offered an extension beyond this season— or, indeed, that he would accept one if offered.

Valencia, currently in 14th place in La Liga and six points above the relegation zone, have been in crisis mode since Neville took over as caretaker manager in December. They’ve won just three games in the league since his appointment, on top of a crushing 8-1 aggregate defeat in the Copa del Rey semifinals against Barcelona and an unceremonious exit from the Europa League.

Following his side’s 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo this weekend, Neville admitted that his tenure is falling far short of expectations:

The results have not been good enough. I’ve been very clear about that. I’ve got to concentrate on the games we’ve got left get to the end of the season. I was brought here for five months and accepted the huge challenge that exists. My point of view is that the results have been nowhere near what I expected, nowhere near good enough.

Backing from supporters and the media have all but evaporated, with the recent fan chant of “Gary, vete ya!” (“Gary, go now!”) being echoed in the local sports pages (PDF).

Complicating matters is his role as an assistant manager with the England national team. Neville was due to report to St. George’s Park yesterday but was given a reprieve until Thursday.

I have just spoken to Roy Hodgson and I am going to stay back in Valencia; I feel it’s the right thing to do. […] Obviously its not an ideal situation, in respect to the fact that before I came here I was the assistant coach for the national team of England, with 60 million people, but I understand the two or three million people in Valencia need my attention this week. The last thing I want is for people here to say Gary Neville lacks commitment, because it’s not something that’s even been said about me in my life.

Neither Neville nor the club have come out and directly addressed the situation but it’s becoming increasingly clear that, barring some major and unforeseen development, one of the most soap opera-esque subplots of this La Liga season won’t be renewed for 2016-17.