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A safe pair of hands
Vicente Moreno states, "I knew I wanted to come on board" and adds, "it's been hard having to wait but it will be worth it"
Vicente Moreno has been announced as RCD Espanyol's new coach. The Valencian coach appreciated the club's firm commitment to bring him on board and added that it was only a matter of time before the deal was sealed. "I've been able to speak with President Chen Yansheng, Mao Ye, Jose María Durán, Rufete... I realised that I was always the first choice for the role. It has taken a long time, but I was sure about what I wanted and now both the club and I are happy. I want to thank the fans for their patience. It's been a long hard wait but it will be worth it. I knew I wanted to come on board. We are not going to take our eyes off our objective of getting promoted and now we have to focus on the day-to-day and put in a lot of hard work”, he reflected.
Vicente remarked that the deal was "a matter of time" and added that "we're where we want to be". "I want to be challenged, to achieve significant goals and Espanyol provides that opportunity. We have to return the club to its rightful place. I've been won over by the club and the feedback I've had from different people within it. We've signed up to this challenge and we're going to enjoy it. I want to be part of Espanyol's return to the top”, he stated. The Espanyol coach stressed, “we're all going to be challenged, particularly the players. They're the ones who have to go out and execute on the pitch. We are the most influential team in the competition”.
The new Blue and White coach wants to avoid comparisons. He said, “we are going to get down to work now because there's a lot to plan; we have to work hard. We'll need to work like beasts, be very successful and do everything really well because it's we've got a great but ambitious project to deliver. Rufete is convinced. He's given me a lot of assurances and filled me with confidence about what we're trying to achieve".
Vicente has asked the fans to continue supporting the team as they always have and explained that he wants a “winning team. I like that my teams have a comprehensive profile, that they can handle the different contexts they face, because no two matches are the same. They must be able to adapt to each circumstance they're in... I want people to relate to the team and realise that we have left everything behind”. Moreno comes on board accompanied by Dani Pendín (assistant coach) and Dani Pastor (physical trainer).
José María Durán, CEO and General Director of RCD Espanyol, commented that Vicente Moreno has always been “our first choice and the person we were looking for” and added that he is the one who will get the team back up to the First Division. The sports director, Francisco Joaquín Pérez Rufete thanked Vicente for making this decision and added that it's the start of “a period of intense work for everyone involved in this journey”.