Leaders of AS Monaco FC held a press conference at the Rainier III Auditorium on July 6. Vice-President Oleg Petrov took the opportunity to introduce Monaco’s new sporting director, Paul Mitchel, while manager Moreno discussed the resumption of football at the club.

“Our ambition is to get back to the top and stay there.” said Petrov, adding “It is with this in mind that Paul (Mitchell) was hired… It was easy for me to find the right person for this job and I think Paul can be that person.” In terms of making any more changes in the future, the VP stated that there will be fewer changes and each will be only a small edit.

Paul Mitchell arrived in Monaco from the Austrian firm Red Bull and has experience in restoring teams to their previous glory. The man of the hour said “I learned French when I was a child but my school notebooks have taken dust since. I will make sure to get back up to speed very quickly because I want to register over the long term in this ambitious project.” Mitchell then spoke on his ambitions concerning the redevelopment of the team saying that he will be looking for players with an adaptable mentality for Monegasque football and the ambition to win.

Manager Robert Moreno commented on the possibility of star striker Ben Yedder leaving the club, stating that “Wissam (Ben Yedder) is one of the most important players in the project. If he leaves, I want to replace him with a player as strong as him, or even two.” Moreno smiled.

ASM dominated in the 2017 Ligue 1 season and went on to become champions of the French league. The next season saw a sharp decline in performance. However, the team has since begun its journey back to the top.

PHOTO: Sporting Director Paul Mitchell