New Ipswich Town boss Paul Hurst — only the club’s 16th in the 82 years since they turned professional — was officially unveiled at a press conference earlier today.
Hurst, 43, left Shrewsbury last month to take over from Mick McCarthy, whose five and a half year reign ended in April, and was making his first visit to Portman Road since landing the job.
"I am very proud, very honoured and also very excited about the challenge ahead,” he told a large gathering in the media suite.
Reminded about the Shrews’ extra-time defeat to Rotherham in the League One play-off final just over a fortnight ago, he was asked if things had worked out differently at Wembley whether he would have been at the club today.
He replied: "It would have been a very difficult decision but ultimately I think this football club, with its history and also the potential here, it would have been very difficult to turn this job down.
"I’m very excited about working with the group of players that are here. They had a good season last year, despite a lot of injury problems along the way, and given a bit more luck on that side I’m sure they would have finished higher up the table.
"There is a lot of potential here and I am keen to assess that very quickly, add to it if possible and see what we can achieve.”
Did he see the step-up from League One to the Championship as a big one? "I’ve said for a long time, even when I was in non-league football and certainly once I became a full-time manager, that with the work we do and the professionalism we put in there are not too much changes to be honest,” he said.
"What you do get is a lot more interest but a lot more resources and people to work with. We can complicate the game of football, the approach, very much and I like to strike a balance between what people might deem as old school with a lot of new school in there as well.
"I see it as a challenge, of course. I’ve got to earn the players’ respect and they have to earn mine and that of Chris Doig, my assistant who has come along with me as well.
"But in general it will be a very similar approach, which I guess is what’s got me to this point, to have such a great opportunity.”
Town are currently the Championship’s longest-serving club after relegation from the top flight in 2002 and several managers have been unable to turn the tide. Can Hurst be the one to get them out of the second tier?
He smiled: "It depends which way you mean. No, of course I believe we can do it. Every time you start a new season you’re hopeful that you can be fighting for promotion. I did see something where certain people (the bookmakers) have got us towards the other end and I take no notice of that.
"I had that at my last club and we certainly managed to show that wasn’t the case. We’ll approach it with optimism but what I’ve said already is that I’m not going to come here and make false promises that I can’t keep.
"What I can assure people is that we’ll do everything in our power — and demand the same from the players — to give the fans a team that they can be proud of, one that they can see giving everything to the shirt. Who knows where it can take you?
"It’s a very competitive league but at the same time this club has a very good history and we’d love to create our own piece of history moving forward.”
Like his predecessor, Hurst is a Yorkshireman, but does he share any similarities with the man he has replaced? He said: "Let’s put it this way — Mick was here a long time and did very well for this football club. There was obviously a change made but I have total respect for him.
"I think we have some similarities without knowing Mick personally, although I have spoken to him a few times, but naturally there are going to be things that are different as well. Every manager is different. I think we share values in terms of the work ethic.
"I’ve had nothing but good feedback in terms of the squad’s character, which doesn’t surprise me guessing what Mick would be like, so I’m grateful for the squad that’s been left behind.
"Along the way there will be changes but they will be done in time and I want people to have the opportunity to impress first and foremost.”
Hurst was also reminded of Town’s failure to win an East Anglian derby clash with Norwich since 2009 and asked if he could do something about that miserable run.
He responded: "I’d like to think so. I was watching one of the games back and they were talking about how long it had been and when the fixtures come out we’ll be looking forward to those games.”