Vicente Moreno: "We're going to fight to make our dreams come true"

Just months after rising back into the Liga Adelante, Gimnastic remain in the hunt for another promotion, this time to the heady heights of the Liga BBVA. The team's upward mobility has captured the imagination of the fans in Tarragona, whose belief in the possibility of fulfilling the dream of returning to the top flight grows with each passing matchday. We caught up with the man at the helm of the Catalan club, Vicente Moreno (Massanassa, Valencia, 1974), who made no secret of the sense of excitement within the team.

Question: If a year ago someone had told you that the team would be in the position they are in currently within a year's time, would you have believed them?

Answer: That's a toughie. A year ago our thoughts didn't extend that far. Thinking long term is difficult in football, all the more so when you're in a division like Segunda B [the third tier]. At the beginning of the season, your outlook and hope is always to have a good season and be up there, but truth be told, if you were to ask around both inside and outside the club, the answer would be that we're in an unexpected position.

Q: At this point, has promotion become a realistic target for Nastic?

Setting promotion as our goal would be a mistake. The first thing we have to do is to win our next few matches so that we mathematically ensure, or thereabout, that Nastic stay in LaLiga, which is what every club needs to be sustainable. After that, we can dream, look forward, enjoy ourselves and try to go as far as possible. We're brimming with confidence.

Q: What have been the keys to the team's success this season?

I'd have to say my players. It would be pretentious for a coach not to acknowledge that, at the end of the day, when you get results and achieve your objectives, it's because you have the raw materials to do so. I'm fortunate enough to have great raw materials to work with in terms of both human and professional qualities, and that's what's allowed us to get into the position we're in right now.

Q: And how are the team shaping up going into the Liga Adelante run-in?

I think they're looking great. Leaving aside results, which are always the lens through which such things are judged, the team are looking really good and strong to me. The coaching staff see the team every day and I think we're in a very good place. Now let's see if that goes hand in hand with good results, which isn't always the case.

Q: You have found the right blend of youth and experience, with Achille Emana playing a leading role on the latter front.

That's been one of the achievements this season. You always need to incorporate experience: there is no substitute for it, just like in all walks of life. Our experienced heads guide the younger ones. And it's not just Emana: we've got other veterans like Manolo Martinez, Xisco Muñoz and Xisco Campos who, however many or few minutes they are playing, are making a big contribution. Then you put that together with youngsters, who are always hungry to conquer the world, which drives us on.

Q: Speaking of the youngsters, Jose Naranjo has established himself as a goalscorer.

He's the highest-profile example because he's among the youngsters to see the most action to date. He has earned it by gradually pressing his claim since the beginning of the season and on top of that, he's chipping in with goals. We've got a lot of young players who are bringing a huge amount to the table. We're managing to strike the perfect balance between youth and veterans.

Q: What's your take on the Liga Adelante season so far?

It's true that every season there are usually two teams who pull away because of their financial clout and the strength of their squad. They [the teams that fit this description] seem to have found it a bit tougher this year and it's been much more evenly matched. This is a long, hard competition and there's time enough for anything to happen. I don't think the teams who are up there now, including ourselves, will be the only sides to challenge for promotion, nor that everything is done and dusted down at the bottom. It's a thrilling league and there's going to be plenty of intrigue in the last few weeks.

Q: Where do you picture Nastic being come those last few weeks?

Obviously I want to see us as high up as possible. I'm not the sort to sit around picturing what's going to occur – I prefer to spend my time making it happen. We're going to fight to make our dreams come true.

Keep up with all the latest from Gimnastic here