Valencia director: 'Gary Neville not solely to blame for form'

Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch has admitted that the club's poor recent form is not solely down to former manager Gary Neville.

Neville won just three of his 16 league games in charge of Los Che before seeing his first managerial appointment end just four months in when he was sacked on Wednesday.

However, Garcia Pitarch has hailed Neville as one of the best coaches that he has ever worked with and wished the former Manchester United player well for the future.

"The results are not only down to him. I send Gary my best wishes and my respect. I've worked with a lot of coaches and he's one of the best colleagues I've had," he told reporters.

Pako Ayestaran will take over from Neville until the end of the season, with Valencia sitting just six points clear of the relegation zone.