Monaco (AFP)

"The Monaco project was the one with the best guarantees and conditions," said Robert Moreno, Monday, during his first press conference as coach of the Monaco club to replace Leonardo Jardim, dismissed on Saturday.

"I have received many projects since I left the selection (from Spain). I knew that I wanted to work at a high level. I wanted a project in accordance with this desire. The Monaco project was the one with the best guarantees and conditions, "said the short-lived Spain coach.

"Coming here means growing up as a coach and as a person," added the Spanish technician, under contract with Monaco until June 2022.

Moreno, 42, arrives with a staff of five (Dani Guindos and Carlos Martinez assistants, Juanjo del Ojo physical trainer, José Sambade, goalkeeper trainer, and Marc Selleres psychologist trainer) and the objective of enabling the Club du Rocher to find the Champions League.

"Changing coaches during the season was a very important decision. The results are the reason. The goal at the start of the season was very clear. We deserve a better ranking than the current 7th place. Our goal is to return to the top of the rankings, "said Oleg Petrov, the Monegasque vice president.

The Russian leader admitted "a bad start to the season due to late recruitment". But above all he felt that he had left enough time and credit for Leonardo Jardim, and that "the time for change had come".

"It is not easy to find the ideal coach during the season. But I am convinced that we succeeded with Robert Moreno," added Petrov.

"We think he will bring success to our club. He has technical knowledge, management skills, a lot of ambitions and he is a hard worker," he added.

For his part, Moreno considered that the L1 is a "big championship", where "strength, speed and transition are very important concepts". He "wishes to adapt to these characteristics".

After evading the questions on the confrontations against Paris SG (January 12 and 15), clarified that "little would change" for him except to be in the spotlight, he spoke of his vision of the game .

"The systems count little," he said. "What matters is the style, the use of space to make the most of the qualities of the players. My goal is to do a good job on a daily basis. will be the consequence. "

Expected on his now strained relationship with Luis Enrique, his former mentor at the head of the Spanish squad, he concluded: "I spent nine extraordinary years with him. But that is the past. Today is My presentation in Monaco I have been coaching since I was 14. I got the UEFA pro license at 25. I always want to become N.1 This is the beginning of this stage after that of the selection."

© 2019 AFP