Sky Sports pundit replaced Nuno Espirito Santo as manager in one of most doomed spells in dugout

The Irish Sun

14-05-2025

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.
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Nuno Espirito Santo was Valencia boss for just over one season
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
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He led the Spanish side to fourth in LaLiga but then quit just a few months later
Credit: AFP
And that led to one of the most doomed and infamous spells in the dugout.
That included during 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.
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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.
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 took interim charge before Gary's appointment on December 5 - Gonzalez has stepped in to the Valencia dugout as makeshift temporary boss
SEVEN
times in total.
'MILLION MILES AWAY'
But
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.
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
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
And the match was overshadowed by
For Neville, though, he has
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."
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Santo was replaced by Gary Neville
Credit: EPA
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The Englishman endured a horror four-month stint in charge
Credit: Getty
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Santo was named manager of the month three times in his full season
Credit: AP:Associated Press
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He is now preparing to take Nottingham Forest into Europe
Credit: Getty
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Neville has not returned to management and has instead stuck to his punditry role with Sky Sports
Credit: AFP