Gary Neville backed by Valencia

Valencia president Layhoon Chan said that Gary Neville was appointed asLos Checoach last December due to his qualities as a motivator and a leader.Former Manchester United defender Neville was a shock appointment at the LaLiga club -- with many local pundits seeing his friendship and business relationship with Valencia owner Peter Lim as a factor in the decision.Neville has had a tough beginning in his first full managerial position, including a 7-0 hammering at Barcelona in the Copa del Rey,although the team has now won its last three gamesto climb up the La Liga table and all but secure progress to the Europa League last 16.Lim's close associate Chan saidin an interview with ASthat Neville had been chosen due to what was seen as his ability to bring together a squad that had grown divided under predecessor Nuno Espiritu Santo."In December there are very few choices," Chan said. "We went for Neville as we knew him. We knew his leadership qualities and knew we needed a motivator, someone who could reactivate the team and channel the relationship with the fans. We knew he had not coached, but we believed in him."He quickly fixed the divide there had been [within the squad]. He was the ideal choice, in our opinion. We have a very young squad, which was not used to being under such pressure. Gary was ideal to manage this anxiety, although results did not come until this last week."That confidence meant the club had not thought of sacking the former England international, even as he did not win any of his first nine La Liga games in charge --while Chan said this season would only be a temporary blip in Lim's successful long term project at the club."You cannot change coach for a bad run, if the players believe in him," she said."They believe in Neville. I understand the Spanish culture [of sacking coaches], but we believe in what we are doing and will keep going in the direction we believe is correct. And with Gary we were going well.Now the victories have arrived."We are looking to stabilise the project. The first year was better than expected, this year no, but we will keep investing. I have been working for 25 years with Lim and the I only thing I know for sure is that in time we will make a great Valencia. I hope we achieve it in three years, but if it is five that's not a problem, we'll do it in five."Chan admitted that constant reports about his relationship Jorge Mendes had played a part in Nuno being sacked last December, however she denied there was anything problematic about the close relationship between the Portuguese super-agent and Valencia's power brokers."I respect all opinions and criticism," she said. "Even the debate over the price of the signings. But there is a limit, a red line,and I will not allow it to be crossed --that of honour. There have been accusations that we came to profit from transfers and that is not true. Meriton, Peter Lim and I arrived at Valencia, as before in other countries, to invest."It takes years to build a reputation and five minutes to destroy it with lies. I understand criticism of how the club has been managed, especially if the results are not good like this year, but our credibility and honour should never be attacked."Chan admitted that Mendes was a personal friend, and said they had even joked recently about his coup in selling Colombia international Jackson Martinez from Atletico Madrid to Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande for ¬42 million."Jorge is a friend," she said. "That friendship came before our arrival at Valencia. Jorge's success in the world of football is beyond doubt. But he has his interests and we have ours. After the Jackson Martinez move I joked with him, saying 'why don't you do one of those for us.'"Chan was also asked if ex-Valencia coach Rafa Benitez, available after his painful sacking at Real Madrid in January, would return to Mestalla next season: "We cannot talk about next season," she replied.