We somehow can’t picture Gary Neville religiously checking the transfer rumour mill during the summer.
And our suspicions about Neville’s lack of interest in the transfer window has been proven right by the Valencia manager’s latest press conference.
There’s been talk of everyone from Jamie Vardy to Bojan Krcic moving to the Mestalla and it certainly seems to have irritated Neville.
The Manchester United legend spoke out about his disdain for the modern phenomenon of football clubs emptying their pockets out to fill gaps in the team, rather than promoting players from within.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=98&v=CuDdH-WMbMQ
“Obviously in football you always have to be adaptable,” Neville said. “You always have to be ready for anything. We get injuries, situations that develop.
“But my point of view, my focus is on the players that are here and getting the players that are injured back. Because I think when they do come back we have two players for every position.
“I have this big thing in football, this is not just something in the past week; we’ve become obsessed with who we’re going to sign, who we would like to sign, who we do not have.
“It’s something that I do not like. I don’t like it about modern football at all. Forget Valencia, this could be the Premier League, French league, Bundesliga, La Liga. Of course new signings excite, but they can also cause you problems. It’s not always easy.”
Neville was a part of United’s famous Class of ’92 and he wants his new football club to nurture the younger players on its books just like Alex Ferguson did.
“From my point of view, the biggest focus should be on the players we have got,” Neville said.
“We should be proud of what we’ve got, the talent that is in the squad, and make those players the best that they possibly can be.
“This obsession with players who are not at the club in football is something I find very hard to get used to. Maybe I’m a traditionalist, but I believe you can improve what you have, work with what you have.
“We have three young boys training with us today, travelling with us, what about them? They’ve come up from the academy, shall I just forget them? Just sign some new players?
“That’s not the way I want football to be. I don’t believe Valencia should be that way. It’s important that message comes across.”
