Notts County appoint Ricardo Moniz as head coach

​Notts County have appointed Ricardo Moniz as their new head coach and expect the Dutchman to bring "attacking play" to the club.

The 50-year-old has signed a three-year deal just a week after initally turning down the offer for family reasons.

County sacked Shaun Derry on March 23 after a poor run of results saw them drop into the relegation zone with Paul Hart and Mick Halsall taking caretaker charge of their recent games.

Moniz takes over a club that has chalked up just 11 wins from 40 matches this League One campaign.

Moniz, who played all his professional career in Holland before making the switch to management, has held a number of posts including assistant coach at Tottenham under Martin Jol from 2005 to 2008.

The Dutchman also had a stint at Hamburg before moving to Austria where he won the double with Red Bull Salzburg.

He became available for the Meadow Lane job after being sacked by Bundesliga 2 side 1860 Munich last September.

Dave Kevan will work as assistant manager under Moniz and chairman Ray Trew believes the appointment will bring a new level of excitement to Notts County.

“I think in Ricardo we have found that because, having spoken to him at length, his footballing philosophy is one of structured attacking play, which I hope is something that our fans will buy into," Trew told Notts County website.

“Results, of course, are the yardstick by which managers are ultimately judged, but if we can play the sort of football that gets people off their seats and instil in our players the desire to take games to our opponents, I think we can make a real impression in this division.

“Ricardo has a fantastic reputation within the game, not only for the style of football that he plays, but also his ability to spot and nurture young talent, so I am confident that his appointment will be of benefit to all levels of the club.

“The new management team’s immediate goal is clear, with survival in League One our short-term aim obviously, but work is already underway to ensure that we have the best possible squad available to make a real impression next season.”

Moniz's first assignment will be to prepare his squad for away game against Yeovil Town on Saturday.