One of Huddersfield Town’s backroom staff is hoping the club’s recent fairytale promotion to the Premier League will rub off on his nation’s international aspirations.
Jansen Moreno, who works as part of a team of three opposition analysts at Town, joined up with Gibraltar for the nation’s recent FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifier against Cyprus.
And despite putting up an impressive display against their Cypriot counterparts, the fledging football nation is still seeking their first competitive points since gaining FIFA membership last summer.
The newest member of the world’s governing body recovered from conceding a 10th-minute own goal to equalise via Anthony Hernandez only to be cruelly undone by a 87th-minute winner from Pieros Sotiriou.
Moreno, a relation to former Huddersfield Town physio Alex Moreno, was disappointed with the final result but delighted to have the opportunity to work with his country after a busy few months on the domestic scene.
“I’m a proud Gibraltarian so it’s not something you say no to, and it’s been a great experience for me,” Jansen Moreno said after the 2-1 defeat.
“Anytime Gibraltar ask me to come – if I can get the time off with the club, I will come and try to help out – it’s always a privilege to work for your country.
“I’m obviously disappointed with the result – I thought we could have got something from the game but we have to take the positives and move forward.”
Moreno believes the performance in the Estadio Algarve shows the nation are on the right track to create a little piece of history – just as Huddersfield Town have done this season by gaining promotion to the Premier League for the first-time.
“What Huddersfield have done this season is a fairytale – it’s been incredible for the Town and the club – it’s fantastic and everyone is looking forward to being in the Premier League,” said Moreno, who’s work sees him liaise with both David Wagner and Christoph Buhler regularly.
“I really enjoy my role – it’s a great club, great people and great staff and we’re all looking forward to next season.
“For Gibraltar, it would have been as historic for us to get our first points and I thought we could have got all three against Cyprus.
“It was really frustrating that we didn’t get anything from the game – we continually punch above our weight and all stick together like a big family.”
