LAURENT Banide is eyeing a promotion push in his first season in English football.

The new Oldham Athletic boss has been tasked with improving on 14th in League Two and moving Latics towards the sharp end of the division.

That will be easier said than done for the former Monaco head coach though who has never managed in England before and arrives after spending the last eight years working in the Middle East.

“The target is to try to go up this year,” said Banide, speaking to the press for the first time since signing a one-year contract with the club.

“We will do our best for this challenge. You start the season to win and that’s normal.

“Everybody wants to win and play good football, that’s the job of all coaches.

“My priority is to play well, give the players confidence and have a good team.

“That’s my objective.”

Banide was known to owner Abdallah Lemsagam and his brother  Mohamed Lemsagam, the club’s sporting director, before his arrival at Boundary Park.

The 51-year-old says when he was approached it was an easy decision to make, so keen was he to sample English football.

His only taste of it came some 15 years ago when completing his coaching badges.

“They called me and I was very happy about this challenge,” Banide said.

“I know the club because I know the president. I followed the results and it has potential.

“It’s a club with a lot of history and I’ll try to push the players to play well and give pleasure to the supporters.

“To come back to Europe was important for me and to work in this country is fantastic.

“It was a very quick answer.

“I came here for my diplomas to Southampton and Ipswich and it was fantastic.

“I like the football spirit here, England is the best country to be a coach.”

All involved will be hoping his stay is longer that the recent incumbents of the Boundary Park hotseat.

Lee Johnson in the 2013-14 campaign was the last manager to see through a full term while there were changes aplenty last season.

Frankie Bunn was sacked before Paul Scholes walked away after just 31 days in the job, hometown boy Pete Wild filling in for two caretaker spells as the revolving door continued.

Manchester United legend Scholes’ claims of interference from the boardroom, something the owner denied, made major headlines but Banide is confident he is good fit for the structure at Boundary Park.

Having only ever worked as a ‘head coach’, he sees no issues ahead.

“Every time I’ve had a job I’ve been a head coach,” Banide said.

“In France you don’t have managers and I’m here to help the club. 

“I have a good relationship with the owner and I would like to have a good relationship with everyone who works here.

“I’ll try to do my best and I’ll give my all and after we will see.

“I have to see all the players, talk to all the players and have a project and to push the players in this project.

“After we’ll see what my position in the club is.

“For the moment I work on the field because I think you can find solutions there.”