Oleg Petrov: "We are on the right track"
Some 24 hours before welcoming Les Verts to the Stade Louis-II (9PM, behind closed doors), Vice-President and CEO Oleg Petrov stopped by to exchange a few words with the press and answer journalists’ questions in French. Extracts.
The arrival of Niko Kovac
“I am very happy with Niko Kovac, who is doing a very good job. He has changed a lot of things. In particular, he has added something in terms of commitment, and the aggressiveness of the team on the pitch. He has also brought a good state of mind. So far the results are not perfect, but we are in a process, and the fruits of our labor are coming soon, I am sure.”
Infrastructure projects
“The work continues and is progressing very well. It should be finished in March if all goes well. It is a major element of our project and an additional motivation for our players. It is progressing very well once again, and I thank moreover, the team working on the construction of this building which will surprise plenty of people.
(On La Diagonale) Monaco is renowned for its training and known for being a club that trusts in young talent. This season again, several Academy players made their Ligue 1 debuts like Chrislain Matsima, Enzo Millot and Eliot Matazo. There’s also Sofiane Diop who came to us very young and who now starts all the games. This is good news for us, and showcasing our young talent is an important part of our project as well.”
The year to catch Paris Saint-Germain?
“Winning the league could be our ambition in the future, but this year it will be very difficult. Paris Saint-Germain remains a very strong club, and then there are other great teams in this division. Of course we won our match against them, but the title is a goal that seems very tough as of today, but we keep an ambition to aim for the top of the table despite everything.”
Are you enjoying your role despite the many changes since your arrival?
“Yes, I am very happy in this role as Vice-President of AS Monaco. I am sure that with the work that has been done so far, especially this summer, we will achieve our objectives, bring the club back to its proper place. The Sporting Director, Paul Mitchell and the coach are doing very good things, and given the challenge that awaited us at the start, we see that this young team is performing well. Even in their losses, the team has shown great things so far, a lot of commitment. There is a long way to go, but we are on the right track. The results will come, I’m sure.”
