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Home , Joe Cole, Mark Noble

Sports FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016 Neville’s Valencia voyage of discovery ‘is doomed to fail’

MADRID: ’s unhappy tenure at “I’d be sceptical and I would want to be proved come. Cup runs briefly prolonged his stay, yet Valencia was brought to a sudden halt on otherwise. Anyone who has any doubts, con- even they ended in major disappointment. The Wednesday as the Spanish club announced he cerns, reservations, they’ll only be removed if we 7-0 thrashing at the hands of in the had been sacked after just four months in win football matches.” first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final was charge. Neville’s first foray into senior manage- Ultimately, he didn’t win enough even to see described by sporting director Jesus Garcia ment after limited experience as an assistant to out his short-term contract until the end of the Pitarch as one of the worst results in the club’s with England was a risky one from season. “I would have liked to have continued history. Elimination from the Europa League at the day the shock announcement of his appoint- the work I started but understand that we are in the hands of a fellow La Liga side with far fewer ment was made in early December. On the back a results business and in the 28 games (W10, D7, resources in Athletic Bilbao earlier this month of a hugely successful 20-year playing career L11) they have not been to my standards or to closed the door to any salvation for a miserable with United, Neville had gained those which are required by this club,” Neville season at the Mestalla. widespread praise for his astute analysis as a Sky said in a statement after his dismissal. Even those Neville will be succeeded for the remainder of Sports pundit in his homeland before taking up statistics are padded by three wins in Cup ties the season by Pako Ayestaran. The hiring of the challenge offered by Valencia’s Singaporean against third-tier Barakaldo and struggling Rafael Benitez’s former assistant to translate owner, his business partner and friend Peter Lim. Granada, as well as a 10-0 aggregate rout of Neville’s ideas to the squad in February coincid- The hiring of an untried coach who didn’t Rapid Vienna in the Europa League. ed with Valencia’s only upturn in form in recent speak Spanish and the close personal relation- Neville won just three of 16 La Liga games in months. “I’m the head coach of Valencia, I will be Valencia’s head coach Gary Neville ship between Lim and Neville raised suspicions charge to see Los Che tumble from four points the head coach of Valencia for the rest of this straight away in Valencia. “I would question it as off the Champions League places when he season. If I leave, Pako will leave,” Neville said at Ayestaran, his old friend Lim and his own ability a neutral observer,” Neville said himself on the arrived, to six points above the relegation zone the time of suggestions Ayestaran had been to turn around a sinking ship in Spain was ulti- day he was presented as the club’s new coach. with a tough final eight games of the season to hired with eyes to replacing him. Neville’s trust in mately misplaced. — AFP

FRENCH PREVIEW Upwardly mobile West Fekir’s return boosts Lyon’s Ham primed for lift-off

LONDON: As the sparrow flies, United’s is hopes in Champions League a mere four kilometers from the Olympic Stadium that will soon be their home but the move could catapult the Hammers into entirely PARIS: When Nabil Fekir badly damaged new footballing territory. A few years after the club were struggling the cruciate ligament in his right knee in the second tier and flirting with financial meltdown, boom times last year, his chances of making the are predicted as they prepare to take residence in a 60,000-seater France squad for the European stadium that will be the third biggest in English club football. Championship took a hit. His club’s ambi- With a 200 million pounds ($287.36 million) annual income tions, too. But the 22-year-old Fekir, who expected, a charismatic manager and the best West Ham squad was voted the French league’s best seen in recent times, no wonder the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and young player after scoring 13 league Tottenham Hotspur are casting anxious eyes across the capital. goals for Lyon last season, is on his way What is more, with West Ham fifth in the with eight back, boosting the seven-time champi- games to go, they could kick off a new era rubbing shoulders with ons’ hopes of qualifying for the Europe’s elite in the Champions League. Champions League. Without Fekir, Lyon No wonder co-owner mentioned Swedish striker went through an inconsistent season Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a potential close-season signing this week. that took a turn for the best following the “It’s a great moment,” former West Ham said firing of coach Hubert Fournier during this week. “The club is ripe for going in an upward direction. They the winter break. just need to make the right decisions in the transfer market, get Under the helm of replacement Bruno good continuity, and really take it on.” It is all quite a turnaround Genesio, Lyon climbed back to fourth from Cole’s final days at West Ham in 2003 when they were relegat- place and can still qualify for Europe’s top ed. West Ham’s fiercely loyal fans have not had many reasons for a competition. Ahead of Sunday’s match at good old knees up. Their dreams, as the club anthem Lorient, Genesio’s team is only one point “Forever Blowing Bubbles” says, usually fade and die. Trevor behind third-place Nice. And with seven Brooking’s headed winner in the 1980 FA Cup final against Arsenal matches left to play this season, Lyon can secured their last silverware. Since then they have flitted between still bridge a six-point gap on Monaco in the top two divisions, watched home-grown talents like Rio second place. Ferdinand, , Joe Cole and leave for PSG, which has already sealed a bigger things while a takeover by an Icelandic consortium almost fourth straight league title, hosts Nice on crippled the club in the late 2000s. Suddenly, however, they are Saturday. The French league’s runner-up feeling chipper and the feel-good factor was evident during the qualifies automatically for the international break when 35,000 watched club skipper ’s Champions League, with the third-place Nabil Fekir testimonial kickabout. team entering in the playoffs. New mentality Fekir has resumed full training with join the Major League Soccer after his chord with me,” Ben Arfa told France his teammates but Genesio has ruled experience in France, Ibrahimovic is now Football magazine. “And Cruyff only did Former favourite returned for that game and him out of the game against Lorient proclaiming that “anything could hap- that. Right from when I first saw it, I have spoke passionately about the changes he has noticed at the club because he does not want to risk him on pen.” “I have three months left here, and loved this feint, which consists of knock- since he left after relegation in 2003. “The mentality, the methodol- a synthetic turf. Seven months after his then we’ll see what happens. Big things ing the ball behind your standing leg. As ogy, the philosophy has changed completely,” the Italian said. serious injury, the attacking midfielder will happen,” the 34-year-old Ibrahimovic a kid, I even called it the Cruyff Special. I “They were always in the top five in December then after, down, will likely return to action in Montpellier said. “Perhaps I will retire. No one has don’t think there is any other option for down, finishing 11th and 12th. This time the team have pushed up on April 8. “He is technically ready,” been thinking about this possibility. But I me than to try it in our next game in Paris again. This is because of Bilic. It’s not magic, this is a new mentality, Genesio said. “He does the same things would like to retire from high-level foot- against PSG.” a new work ethic.” he was capable of before getting injured. ball while I’m still on top.” While Bilic has masterminded West Ham’s resurgence on the There is still some apprehension, but it Aurier is back field with inspired signings such as , will disappear little by little.” Here are Ben Arfa’s tribute PSG defender Serge Aurier has and Diafra Sakho, owners Gold and David Sullivan have, as some other things to know ahead of this One of the most technically gifted served his six-week suspension follow- Cockneys would say, played a blinder off of it. West Ham have a 99- weekend’s matches: French players, Hatem Ben Arfa, says he ing his outburst on social media and has year lease at the Olympic Stadium and will pay in the region of 2.5 wants to pay tribute to the late Johan returned to the squad. Aurier was sus- million pounds per season in rent on top of the 15 million pounds Ibrahimovic to retire? Cruyff by pulling off one of the Dutch pended in February after a video show- they contributed for conversion costs-a minimal sum considering Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not finished great’s signature moves. Ben Arfa, whose ing him making derogatory comments the total bill was 250 million. The tears will flow though on May 10 planting seeds of doubts in the minds of dribbles and goals have helped Nice to about coach Laurent Blanc, striker when they play their final match at their spiritual home of more his fans. With his future at Paris Saint- third place in the standings this season, is Zlatan Ibrahimovic and other players than 100 years on the edge of east ’s Docklands. Those that Germain still unclear, the league’s best planning a rendition of the famous Cruyff emerged. Aurier trained with the have supported them through thick and thin still wallow in the scorer with 27 goals is now hinting that Turn when his team travels to PSG on reserves during his suspension and “academy of football” nickname and past greats such as Bobby he could end his career at the end of the Saturday. “Those who try, who create, played with Ivory Coast in African Cup of Moore, and who helped England lift the season. After previously saying he could who invent, have always struck the right Nations’ qualifiers. — AP Jules Rimet World Cup trophy in 1966. — Reuters