Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has written an open letter explaining why he decided to step down as the club's manager.
It was announced last week that Zidane would no longer be Real Madrid's manager after discussing his future with club president Florentino Perez.
In an open letter to the fans, Zidane explained his decision to leave Real Madrid. The letter has been exclusively published by Spanish news outlet AS.
Here are excerpts from Zidane's letter:
"For more than 20 years, from the first day I arrived in Madrid and wore the white shirt, you’ve shown me your love. I’ve always felt that there was something special between us. I’ve had the enormous honour of being a player and the coach of the greatest club ever, but above all I’m just another Madrid fan. For all these reasons I wanted to write this letter, to say goodbye to you and explain my decision to leave the coaching job.
"I have now decided to leave and I want to properly explain the reasons. I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching. In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years, with so many victories and so many trophies, I felt the team needed a new approach to stay at the very highest level. Right now, things are different. I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, nor the support to build something in the medium or long term.
"I want there to be respect for what we have achieved together. I would have liked my relationship with the club and the president over the past few months to have been a little different to that of other coaches. I wasn’t asking for privileges, of course not, just a little more recollection. These days the life of a coach in the dugout at a big club is two seasons, little more. For it to last longer the human relationships are essential, they are more important than money, more important than fame, more important than everything."
The rest of the letter can be read here.
Zidane's future still up in the air after leaving Real Madrid
Zinedine Zidane has still not decided where he will be managing next. The former Real Madrid boss had been linked with a move to Juventus, but the Bianconeri have decided to appoint Massimiliano Allegri instead.
It remains to be seen where the Frenchman will decide to go this summer.
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