European Football Thread

[Lineker]

Russian clubs have been prohibited from signing Turkish players.

[The Lusophone]

At some point FIFA should probably start applying the 'no state interference in the national association' rule to everyone, and not just random African countries...

[Lineker]

Valencia’s coach, Nuno Espírito Santo, has resigned after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat by Sevilla left them ninth in La Liga.

@Summers

[Summers]

Just woke up to this.

 

Fucking thrilled. Hopefully our next appointment isn't a Mendes puppet. Names I'm hearing linked: AVB, Ranieri, Laudrup, Paco Jemez, Berrizzo..

Some people are claiming Ancelotti or Pochettino but I don't see either happening.

Paco Jemez, Berrizzo or Laudrup would be nice. If we're gonna be stuck with a Mendes-client, I hope it's AVB.

A Pizzi returned is also being rumoured. Dunno how I feel about that, if Rufete and Ayala came back as well.. maybe.

[The Lusophone]

Phil Neville to be interim manager according to some of the press.

Valencia have now had 5 managers since Unai Emery left in 2012.

[Steeb]

14 hours ago, Mad Jack said:

At some point FIFA should probably start applying the 'no state interference in the national association' rule to everyone, and not just random African countries...

I could be incorrect here, but doesn't the new law/legislation apply to all businesses, therefore football is included, rather than it being 'direct' interference in the sport, which is what there'd be a problem with?

[Gazz]

It does, the law states that no Turkish national can hold a work permit.

[Jimmy]

wtf Gary Neville's the new Valencia manager until the end of the season.

[Lineker]

hahaha wtf?

Some meat on the bones:

Gary Neville has been appointed head coach of Valencia until the summer.

Valencia are at home to Barcelona on Saturday but Neville will not take over until Sunday. Sky Sports, for whom he has been working as a pundit, said he would be leaving the channel with immediate effect though “the door will always be open should he wish to return”.

Valencia said in a statement: “CF have today appointed Gary Neville as head coach until the end the season.

“He will officially take charge of the first team on Sunday 6 December ahead of the Uefa Champions League match against Lyon at Mestalla on Wednesday 9 December.”

Valencia’s president Layhoon Chan said: “We are delighted to have secured Gary so quickly. He combines top level coaching experience through his role as a senior coach with the England national team and a world-class playing career with England and Manchester United.

“Throughout his career Gary has always shown great leadership both on and off the pitch. He is hugely respected in English football and it was his personal qualities which persuaded us that he was the right choice to lead Valencia until the end of the season.”

Gary Neville said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be given this opportunity with Valencia. Valencia are a huge football club of immense standing and I know from my time as a player the passion and dedication of the Valencia fans.

“I am really looking forward to working with the club’s talented group of players and am excited about the challenge ahead.”

Neville’s brother Phil was named interim coach this week along with his co-coach Voro, following the resignation of Nuno on Sunday evening.

A press conference with Gary Neville is due to be held on Thursday afternoon at the Mestalla Stadium.

Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said: “We wish Gary all the very best as he returns to football with our blessing and begins his managerial career with Valencia.

“He will always be a friend of Sky Sports and we look forward to following the next chapter of his career closely, not least during our weekly La Liga coverage. And of course, the door will always be open should he wish to return.”

Neville thanked Sky saying “they have fully supported and understood the decision that I have made to go to Valencia for the next five months”.

[Lineker]

For some reason the Guardian are using this image on the story: 

 

[Benji]

Maybe they think Valencia is in Hungary?

Get it? Hungry? Hungry Gary?

Get it?

Well screw you too.

[Whisper]

Great opportunity for Neville that. People were already tipping him as a future England manager. Doing a decent job with Valencia won't do his chances any harm.

[DavidMarrio]

Big first job for him especially in a different country and league  

He's got the brains to be a good managed but the appointment is so random. Clearly even Valencia knew that Phil is the shitter Neville of the two. 

[Lineker]

Carra isn't taking this too well: 

 

[Colly]

41 minutes ago, David Marrio said:

Big first job for him especially in a different country and league  

He's got the brains to be a good managed but the appointment is so random. Clearly even Valencia knew that Phil is the shitter Neville of the two. 

I thought that. Poor Phil. "We've been working with you for months and you've done a grreeeeat job, but we've decided to appoint your brother off the telly".

[DavidMarrio]

6 minutes ago, Ultra Rare Colly said:

I thought that. Poor Phil. "We've been working with you for months and you've done a grreeeeat job, but we've decided to appoint your brother off the telly".

When I saw the headline of Neville appointed manager of Valencia I thought it'd be Phil.  Then when I actually read it and saw Gary it didn't half make me laugh.  Feel sorry for Phil sometimes. 

[Benji]

45 minutes ago, Lineklaus said:

Carra isn't taking this too well: 

 

Good to see the cult of Pegguy extends even beyond Leicester.

[Baddar]

Great opportunity. Sky are gonna miss him! 

[Adam]

Makes sense with Peter Lim owning both Valencia and (half of) Salford City. If he succeeds he's in on the top floor straight away in management.

[Lineker]

Cadiz have announced they will report Real Madrid to the Spanish Football Federation over their selection of the ineligible Denis Cheryshev in the Copa del Rey.

The capital club, who won 3-1 in Cadiz, could be thrown out of the competition as the Russia international Cheryshev was picked despite failing to serve a suspension for receiving three yellow cards with his former club Villarreal last season.

The winger opened the scoring in the third minute of Real’s fourth-round first-leg tie at Estadio Ramon de Carranza but was withdrawn from the action moments after half-time, when Real had realised their error, with the head coach Rafael Benítez saying they wanted to “show good faith”.

Nevertheless the president of third-tier Cadiz, Manuel Vizcaino, has revealed the club’s board has opted to report Real for the transgression.

He told cadizcf.com: “This situation required a speedy decision because there was no time to speculate. The board has met and decided to report Real Madrid for fielding an ineligible player, out of respect for our fans and the club.

“We decided to do this with a heavy heart, but it is our firm decision. We do this not without a sense of pain, because we are friendly with the club. We read the report, evaluated the situation and weighed up our decision. I think we’ve acted responsibly.

“I spoke with people from Real Madrid during the match and nobody said anything about it. We’ve looked at the rules and made a decision accordingly, but it was a tough one to make. Real Madrid are a great club, admired all over Spain, and by me.”

Last season Osasuna were expelled from the tournament for playing an ineligible player while Benítez was in charge of Valencia when they were disqualified from the Copa del Rey having played too many non-EU players in a tie in 2001.

Benítez told Real’s website: “Clearly, the club did not know anything. We weren’t told by Villarreal or the RFEF. We knew nothing and [when we found out] we have substituted the player to show good faith.”

The Real director Emilio Butragueño said in quotes published in Marca: “We knew nothing of the situation. Cheryshev, who was a Villarreal player at the time, had no knowledge. We will await developments.”

Cheryshev said he did not receive notification from his former club that he would be banned. He told realmadrid.com: “I did not receive any notification from Villarreal to inform me that I had been banned from playing in the Copa del Rey.”