Neville insists assistant Pako Ayestaran was his appointment at Valencia

Gary Neville has moved to allay any rumours that Pako Ayestaran was hired above his head to assist him at Valencia.

The ex-Manchester United skipper has struggled in his first job in management, finally overseeing his first league win in 10 attempts against Espanyol on Saturday, so suggestions from some quarters were that Pako had been called in to aid the beleaguered Englishman.

"I can be absolutely 100 percent clear that it was my suggestion and my appointment and no-one else's," Neville stressed on Wednesday. "I spoke to (ex-Liverpool player) Jamie Carragher two weeks ago about Pako."

Pako has some experience of the famed Mestalla, assisting Rafael Benitez at Valencia during two La Liga triumphs. Pako then followed Benitez to Merseyside, where Carragher, a former colleague of Neville's on the Sky Sports punditry team, was a mainstay in Liverpool's defence.

Neville was clear, however, that the appointment of sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch was not his call.

"I spoke to the president as far back as Christmas before the sporting director was appointed (in January)," he said.

"I'm the head coach of Valencia, I will be the head coach of Valencia for the rest of this season. If I leave, Pako will leave. He's come to be part of my coaching staff.

"I understand it might look like there's something going on. There absolutely isn't. After about 10 or 14 days, I recognised I needed to strengthen the coaching set-up. I feel more comfortable already."

Following Valencia's disappointing elimination from the Champions League - something that Neville was almost helpless to prevent given the time of his hiring - the club now looks to Europa League duty with the visit of Rapid Vienna on Thursday.