Three wins and Gary Neville is quids in with Valencia

There is no way we could have seen this coming a month ago.

Gary Neville’s first six weeks in charge of Valencia saw the former Manchester United man do his best drowning man impression. There didn’t seem like there was a lifebuoy big enough to save the former full-back after his side were thumped 7-0 by Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, while his team’s league struggles grew progressively worse. But then he managed to get his first win against Espanyol, and everything seemingly changed. He then saw his side make history in last week’s Europa League with five goals inside the opening 45 minutes and all is good again. They won at the weekend too, and that mini-revival of three games looks to have convinced the club’s owners to stick with the ex-TV pundit for at least another two years. According to The Mirror, the club are hoping to persuade Neville to agree a two-year deal at the Mestalla which will make him the club’s permanent manager. The deal would end speculation that Rafa Benitez may be due a return to la Liga and his old stomping ground while it is only suggested that a deal with his current employers would see an end to his involvement with England after the Euros this summer.