Former Liverpool and Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has admitted that he is "very surprised" by Gary Neville's decision to take on the head coach role at Valencia.

The ex-Manchester United captain was confirmed as the surprise appointment of the Spanish club this afternoon, joining his brother Phil Neville, who is assistant coach at the Mestalla.

Neville, who will relinquish his role as a Sky Sports pundit, has not worked as a manager before, but he is a coaching assistant to England boss Roy Hodgson.

"I'm very surprised and I'm not sure it's the right move," The Telegraph quotes Hamann as saying. "He's in a very good position. He's doing his Monday Night Football [on Sky], which he does very well, and he's assistant manager to Roy Hodgson.

"Going to a foreign country as your first job - and I know his brother is there and will have done some homework having been there for a few months - but it's a huge, huge task.

"To go abroad, not speaking the language and not knowing the league is a huge task. I don't really understand why he's done it because he would have got a big job in England in six or 12 months' time. I think he's taking a big, big chance."

Neville's contract with Valencia runs until the end of the season.