Sky Sports pundit replaced Nuno Espirito Santo as manager in one of most doomed spells in dugout
NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO is hoping to complete a stunning achievement by taking Nottingham Forest into the Champions League.
But he was once replaced by a Sky Sports pundit as manager at a previous job.
And that led to one of the most doomed and infamous spells in the dugout.
Santo, 51, spent 18 years as a curly-haired goalkeeper where he was largely a back-up for the No1.
That included two stints at Porto, where he was part of the Champions League-winning squad under Jose Mourinho.
But after retiring as a player in 2010, the Portuguese stepped into management – firstly spending two years at Rio Ave in his homeland.
He would later go on to manage Porto before four years with Wolves, 17 games at Tottenham, a stint at Al-Ittihad and now working wonders at the City Ground.
But it was his second gaffer’s gig that sparked the links to the TV pundit.
Santo led Rio Ave to the Europa League for the first time in their history at the end of his second season in charge.
And that saw him attract plenty of interest – including from Spain.
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Santo signed a one-year deal in July 2014 to take over as Valencia manager.
By the January of that 2014-15 campaign, he signed a contract extension until 2018.
And he finished the season in fourth, taking four points off Real Madrid and picking up three LaLiga manager of the month awards.
However, Santo suffered a poor start to the following campaign in both the league and Champions League.
So much so that he resigned in November 2015.
His replacement was… Gary Neville.
Neville’s brother Phil and Salvador Gonzalez – who’s filled in at Valencia an incredible SEVEN times – took interim charge before Gary’s appointment on December 5.
‘MILLION MILES AWAY’
But things went horribly wrong for Neville, whose only previous coaching experience was as Roy Hodgson’s assistant with England.
His lack of Spanish didn’t help, either, and the ex-Manchester United defender failed to win any of his first nine LaLiga matches in charge.
Valencia were also stuffed 7-0 by Barcelona in a Copa del Rey thrashing and Neville was eventually put out of his misery on March 30 with three league wins from 16 and his side 14th in the table, just six points clear of the relegation zone.
Santo and Neville’s managerial careers have gone in very different directions since.
The Portuguese gaffer succeeded at Wolves and is doing a tremendous job at Nottingham Forest, securing European football for next season.
Gary Neville's Valencia record
Dates 2 December 2015 to 30 March 2016
Matches 28
Wins 10
Draws 7
Defeats 11
Win % 35.71
Goals scored 39
Goals conceded 38
Goal difference +1
Biggest defeat 7-0 vs Barcelona
That was guaranteed with Sunday’s eventful 2-2 draw with East Midlands rivals Leicester – but the result did put a major dent in Forest’s Champions League qualification dreams.
And the match was overshadowed by Evangelos Marinakis storming on to the pitch to confront Santo about Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury – which has seen the Nigerian placed in an induced coma after urgent surgery.
For Neville, though, he has turned his back on management – and now sticks to the TV studios and commentary gantries.
Reflecting on his Valencia nightmare and leaving coaching behind, he said: “It’ll never happen, I’m a million miles away.
“I love football and the camaraderie but I don’t want to be in that environment any more.
“It was an unbelievable opportunity and it didn’t go as well as I wanted it to, but I enjoyed every minute and it taught me a lot and things I will apply to my business life.
“I don’t regret going to Spain and I would have liked to have stayed in Valencia for 18 months, but I wouldn’t have continued in coaching.
“The buzz from football up to the age of 32 was incredible and that can probably never be replaced, but compared to the last three years of my career, I enjoy what I’m doing now far more.”