Gary Neville warned he can't 'stop the video, touch the screen and move players' by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho

Mourinho wished Neville well but warned him that the transition to management with Valencia will not be an easy one

New Valencia manager Gary Neville (Getty Images)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has warned Gary Neville that the transition from Sky Sports analyst to Valencia manager will not be an easy one, adding “you cannot stop the video, touch the screen and make movements happen”.

Former Manchester United and England defender Neville has made his name during four seasons of informative and precise analysis as part of his punditry role with Sky Sports, and has gone on to form a hugely successful partnership with his former Liverpool rival Jamie Carragher on Monday night football.

This has often seen Neville criticise players and managers, sometimes ex-team-mates, and Mourinho has been no exception during Chelsea’s poor start to the defence of their Premier League crown.

But with the shoe now on the other foot, Mourinho has wished Neville well following his decision to move into management with a surprise move to Valencia, but he has warned the 40-year-old that it could prove a tougher proposition than he originally thought.

“There is no advice, no encouragement. I just wish him well,” said Mourinho at his pre-match press conference ahead of this Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth.

“He said something that is right: there is always a first day for a manager. Always. Every one of us had a first day.

“If he wants to be a manager, he must have a first day. He's having that first day. He was a very good player and a very good pundit.

“Now he must prove he can be a very good manager, which is a completely different job.

“But by accepting this challenge, he shows he wants to prove that. On the bench, you cannot stop the video, touch the screen and make movements happen. It's a different story.

“But to accept the challenge proves he feels he is very well prepared.”

Mourinho is not alone in offering Neville his thoughts ahead of his Spanish move, with Louis van Gaal warning the ‘Class of 92’ graduate that Valencia’s rich history in La Liga will bring additional pressure than what appears on the face of things.

"Valencia is a very big club in Spain with a lot of history," Van Gaal said, with his side taking on West Ham on Saturday.

"They have won a lot of titles also, so it's a big step, a big challenge for him.

"I am very happy but also curious how he shall do that."

Like Van Gaal when he joined Barcelona in 1997, Neville does not speak Spanish, although he can draw on his brother Phil’s linguistic skills to try and get his message through to his new squad. But Van Gaal believes it will still prove tricky trying to convey his feelings to the players.

"He doesn't speak the language so it's very difficult," Van Gaal added.

"He has his brother, he speaks fluent Spanish, but still it's a big challenge and I wish him a lot of luck because he needs luck."

But Van Gaal stressed that that there will be other issues as well as the language barrier, as he added: "You have also culture dimensions, that is also difficult to understand.

"I have to adapt also as a manager to the culture of England and these dimensions are not always fitting in your way of thinking but you have to do it."