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EXCLUSIVE: RAMON VEGA - Neville's role models could see him become a pioneering Brit abroad
Yahoo's Sport Business Correspondent Ramon Vega looks at Gary Neville's first week at Valencia and how his time as a player could mold him into a British managerial trailblazer.
As first real days at work go, it was more baptism of fire than warm bath.
Valencia’s dismal defeat in the Champions League this week at home to Lyon would certainly have disabused Gary Neville of any notion that managing at a pressure-cooker club like Valencia would be easy.
But Gary is a highly intelligent guy and I’m sure he was fully aware of the challenges he faced, no doubt briefed by his brother and lieutenant Phil who has been a coaching at the club over the past few months.
Hats off to Gary. He could have taken the easier option and remained a TV pundit, or even opted for a managerial job closer to home.
He showed great ambition and determination – not to mention what the locals call ‘cojones’! - in opting to head in the direction of the Mestalla, where the demands of the fans will ensure his honeymoon period is virtually non-existent.
I believe it is a brave decision but one that Gary is perfectly equipped for, having learnt his trade under two hugely experienced managers; Sir Alex Ferguson for all those years as a player at Old Trafford, and then under Roy Hodgson as an assistant at England.
They are the two perfect mentors for his new role, especially as Roy is one of a very rare breed – an English manager who has succeeded abroad in recent years.
I wish more managers would follow Gary’s lead and test their abilities in a top foreign league. The Premier League is definitely no ‘comfort zone’ but the additional challenges posed by working in a different country, where there are linguistic and cultural hurdles to overcome, create extra layers and pressures.
In the long-run facing these challenges early on in his managerial career will bring benefits, as they will be invaluable in preparing him for the duress ahead when things do not go quite as planned - an inevitability for a manager at some stage in his career.
Many are tipping Gary as a future England manager- though the fickle nature of football is demonstrated by the fact that people were also mentioning Garry Monk in that vein a few months ago!
There’s no doubt he has the sharp footballing brain required, which was on show during his time as a pundit.
This is complemented by a rapacious hunger to learn and a drive and energy that has seen him embrace daily 6am Spanish classes.
I think he probably needs another three to four years at club level first proving himself, picking up the tactical expertise and developing his own managerial style.
Many former players fail to make the successful transition into management, since it requires a completely different mindset and skillset.
As a player, you get told what to do and when to do it. As a manager you are the one doing the communicating. You need authority, a clear message and highly developed organizational skills.
If Gary Neville is able to successfully display these qualities in Spain, he will hopefully inspire a new generation of British managers to try their hand in the world’s most competitive foreign leagues. Vamos Gary!
Ramon Vega is a versatile high-flying executive with a comprehensive track record of driving commercial success in finance, property and football with national, international and World Cup experience as captain of the Swiss National Team in 1994. Proven experience in managing $billion funds in the asset management industry as well as a turnaround specialist who combines financial and business acumen, Ramon has a flair for inspiring others to exceed their own expectations. Follow him on Twitter here @Ramon_Vega71 (http://frompitchtoboardroom.com)
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