Valencia appoint Cesare Prandelli as new manager
Monday 3 October 2016 15:16, UK
New Valencia coach Cesare Prandelli wants to take the "glorious club" back to enjoying a starring role in La Liga and Europe, he said on Monday.
The 59-year-old Italian has signed a contract until June 2018 with the Spanish club, becoming their ninth coach since 2012.
They fired Pako Ayestaran two weeks ago after registering the worst record of any coach in the club's 98-year history, taking 10 points from 12 games after taking over from Gary Neville in March.
Valencia are 18th in the La Liga standings with six points from seven games.
"My aim is to find a balance which is currently lacking," Prandelli told a news conference on Monday at the Mestalla stadium. "I want to transmit to the players the values of this club.
"For me it's an honour to be in such a glorious club and we want to take it back there."
Neither Ayestaran nor Neville had any coaching experience, which is in stark contrast to Prandelli, a former Fiorentina and Italy coach.
During his five-year spell at Fiorentina, Prandelli guided the team to fourth place in Serie A and to the round of 16 in the 2009-10 Champions League.
He led Italy to a runners-up finish at Euro 2012 before resigning after the team's first-round exit at the 2014 World Cup. He coached Galatasaray before leaving the Turkish club in November 2014 and has not managed a team since.
