Valencia’s British coach Gary Neville (L) gestures next to assistant Phil Neville during a training session at the Valencia’s Sport City in Valencia yesterday, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League match against Lyon. (AFP)

AFP/Madrid


New Valencia boss Gary Neville admitted his life is about to change, but said he is remaining calm ahead of his debut as a head coach in his side’s crucial Champions League clash against Lyon today.
“Someone said it’s the first day of the rest of my life tomorrow,” England coach Neville said yesterday.
“I’m focusing on staying calm. It’s impossible to get everything into the players in the next 48 hours.
“We worked on things yesterday and this morning, but it’s the simple things that hopefully we can see tomorrow night in the game.”
Valencia need to win and hope Belgian champions Gent fail to beat the already qualified Zenit St Petersburg to qualify for the last 16 for the first time in three years.
“Not everything is in our hands, but we have to focus on what we do control.
“If we don’t have the result in the other game we want, that’s life. The most important thing for us is focusing on our players, our direct opponent.”
Neville was hired until the end of the season last week after a series of disappointing results let to Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure from the club.
However, he watched on from the stands as a revitalised Valencia battled back from a goal down to salvage a 1-1 draw against European champions Barcelona on Saturday.
And Neville has his sights set on not just reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League, but a return to the competition next year by finishing in the top four of La Liga.
“We have to aim for the Champions League qualification and we have to try and win all the Cup games. The reality in football, though, is it doesn’t always go the way you want,” he added.
“We’re here to win football matches, we’re here to entertain starting tomorrow night.
“Lyon is a big game, it sets the benchmark straight away. It gives me an immediate understanding of what our mentality is like.”
Neville has already made a good impression with the Valencia fans as he opened up his first full training session to the supporters on Monday with thousands in attendance.
“I was amazed when I was out there,” he added.
“It’s the right thing to do to invite the fans, they get to know the players more.
“From the players’ point of view there is maximum intensity when the fans are there because they always want to impress.”
The former Manchester United and England full-back has also offered a fresh start to his players with former Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo returning to the squad for the first time in over two months.
Negredo was discarded by Nuno after a disagreement between the two before suffering appendicitis three weeks ago.
“I explained to them that every single player has an opportunity to play. I will treat no player differently than any other.
“I explained to Alvaro he’s not played for two or three months and he’s had the operation. In my view he’s part of the squad, he’s in there against Lyon.
“We will try and to build up his match fitness over the next couple of weeks.”