NEW Rayo Vallecano boss Inigo Perez shared how he turned down the role in the summer with a view to becoming Andoni Iraola’s assistant at Cherries.

Perez was unveiled as the new head coach of La Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano earlier this week following the dismissal of Francisco Rodriguez.

After Iraola’s departure in the summer, Rayo had turned to his number two, Perez, to take over the reins, but the former Athletic Club forward wanted to continue his coaching education under his ex-teammate in England.

However, as Perez had only one year’s experience as a top-flight coach, he was unable to obtain a work permit to join Iraola on the south coast.

With circumstances changing, Perez decided to return to Rayo after the sacking of Iraola’s successor, Rodriguez.

Speaking in his native Spanish at his first press conference, Perez explained: “At that moment I was not going to feel morally comfortable and I wanted to continue with Iraola, for my training and learning.

“When I came here I was a month retired, and in a year and a month I could have been a top-flight head coach.

“When they offer you the position, you are tempted, but the moral part stops you and the professional part continues to grow as well.

“My stay there in England has not been possible and circumstances have changed.

“The situation is not the same as it was in June.”

Perez shared how he comes from a similar school of footballing thought to Iraola, stating he was not afraid of the comparisons that will be drawn between the two head coaches.

He continued: “We are conscious that my idea of football pertains in part to Andoni and other coaches that we have shared for many years of football.

“We have similar ideas and I am lucky to learn from him.

“But Andoni is Andoni, I am Inigo.

“It’s the line that I like and so does the club. We intend to maintain and return to this idea.

“I understand that comparison when this process happens, as it happened at Real Madrid with (Carlo) Ancelotti and (Zinedine) Zidane or at Barcelona with (Pep) Guardiola and Tito Vilanova.

“We came from being together as teenagers in residence and I see the comparison as something natural.

“I am not afraid. I manage it naturally, but there comes a time when there is a breakup and Iraola is one and I am another.”