It was quite nerve-racking when I flew into Monaco to meet the club’s new manager. Not the meeting itself. But it was my first time in a helicopter, on the hop from Nice to the principality, and that did get my pulse racing.
The trip was more or less a courtesy call. My mind was pretty much made up. I had met Gerard Houllier at Paris St Germain and we had almost agreed that I would be joining them. Monaco, though, were insistent I come.
We were directed up to the penthouse suite at the Beachside Plaza Hotel and waiting for me there was this very young, bespectacled, tall man.