MOSCOW, October 27 (RIA Novosti) - Spanish coach Juande Ramos, released by CSKA Moscow on Tuesday after less than two months, has revealed that his decision not to extend his short-term contract with the club was behind his departure.

Former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur coach Ramos took over from Brazilian Zico as CSKA manager at the beginning of September. His four-month contract with the club was torn up by "mutual consent" on Tuesday.

While a number of European media reports have suggested that 55-year-old Ramos was fired by the former Red Army team, the Spanish coach was quoted by the Marca newspaper as saying that his reluctance to continue at CSKA after December led to the 2005 UEFA Cup champions appointing former FC Moskva and Krilya Sovetov coach Leonid Slutsky as trainer.

"I said I would not be extending my contract next season," Ramos was quoted as saying. "Because of this, the club decided to bring in another trainer who would be ready to take over right now. We parted very amicably."

CSKA's form has slumped in recent weeks, with the side in fifth place in the Russian Premier League, 10 points behind leaders Rubin with four games to play. In the Champions League, they have won one and lost two of their three matches this season.

"He is a very disciplined, honest and wonderful trainer," CSKA owner Yevgeny Giner told Radio Mayak "He told us that as soon as everything stabilizes here he would be happy to return and work with us."

Giner also told the radio station however that CSKA were launching a "new project" involving new young players and that "it would be difficult for Ramos" to take part in this.

Ramos' assistant, Marco Alvarez, also suggested that the club's decision not to strengthen the team next year was behind the Spanish coach's departure.

"We were ready for this," Alvarez, who has also left CSKA, told the Sovetski Sport paper. "They told us they had no plans to seriously strengthen the side nest season. CSKA are going to rely on young players."