Ricardo Moniz will lead Slavena in the preparations on Thursday, June 15, and for the club's website he shared his first impressions after signing the contract with Slaven Belup.
- It is a great honor for me to come to Slaven Belupo, Koprivnica and Croatian football. I know a lot about the club, and the two friendly matches we played last season, one in Koprivnica and the other in Zalagereszeg, especially helped me. I know that it is a great club with ambitious people who lead it and very good players that I saw in the mentioned matches. So far in my career, I have coached players like Olić, Petrić, Tomasov and Mance, so I know what the Croatian mentality means and what the Croats' view of football is. There is always great emotion and a desire for progress, which impresses, and I believe that the same awaits me in Slaven Belup.
He explained what Slaven can do next season in the following way.
- I am aware that I am coming to a club that is not a favorite for the top positions, but that is what should inspire and motivate us. We must have great ambition and take steps forward through work at a high level. Regardless of the fact that we may be outsiders at the start, we want to lurk for an opportunity from the shadows, and that will come through a high intensity of work at every training session. I like to compete against nominally better and bigger clubs, against clubs that have more money and better conditions, because everything is possible in football.
He was attracted to Slaven Belupo by the club's desire for progress in all segments.
- When we talked about my arrival in Slaven Belupo, I felt a great love for football from the people of the club and that I get a lot of energy through talking with them. I can't wait to start work, but I must point out that we have a lot of work ahead of us. There is no magic wand, and our only goal must be progress step by step. We must together create one philosophy in the club that we will all follow, both the first team and the football school. I don't want to impose anything on anyone, my task is to convince everyone of this philosophy because I am a team player.
The message to the fans of our club is simple.
- Football is played for the fans, and we will do everything to be better for them. We can raise our game, our philosophy, our training by a few percent, and we will do that only if we live it. We have a great responsibility for the fans and we have to respect them, but also be brave. I am looking forward to my stay in Koprivnica and believe in joint success.
Coach, once again, welcome and good luck!