Gary Neville hands iPads to Valencia players to use as training guides

The former Manchester United player is using computers at the Primera Liga club to compensate for his basic Spanish.

Former Manchester United player Gary Neville has brought with him a new way of training to Valencia. Javier Etxezarreta / EPA

BARCELONA // Valencia coach Gary Neville is using modern technology to get his ideas across to the players, and his assistant Miguel Angel Angulo says he is managing with the language barrier better than he expected.

Neville was known for his dexterity with touchscreen analysis as a television pundit, and he is now using computers at Valencia to compensate for his basic Spanish.

“He has given an iPad to each player to help them follow training and different actions during games,” Angulo said. “He is doing better than I expected. I thought the language barrier would be more of a problem. Gary has already started to speak a little Spanish, and he is improving quickly. There is a good understanding with the players asking him or me what is wanted.

“It won’t take long before we can demonstrate the style of football that we want.”

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Neville faces a difficult challenge to get Valencia back on track and he is yet to win after two games in charge.

They failed to reach the Uefa Champions League knockout stage after losing at home to Lyon and got a fortunate draw at Eibar in the Primera Liga last Sunday with a late own-goal that left them eighth in the table with 21 points from 15 games.

It should be an easier evening on Wednesday, however, when they bid to book a place in the Copa del Rey last 16 against lower league Barakaldo. They lead 3-1 lead from the first leg.

“What he [Gary] is looking for is that the players understand as quickly as possible what he wants and the games against Lyon and Eibar were really games of adaption,” Angulo said.

“Barakaldo maybe a good rival for us to work on ideas that we want to transmit. Then we play Getafe also at home where we can continue that.

“We are not looking for long-term goals to be honest. We are looking at short-term targets. We now play Barakaldo, who we need to beat, then Getafe, Villarreal and Real Madrid.”

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