Mick McCarthy is Cardiff City's new manager.
The former Sunderland, Wolves and two-time Republic of Ireland boss was unveiled as Neil Harris' successor late on Friday night and has spoken at length about the challenge he faces at Cardiff City Stadium. He certainly has plenty to address.
Here is the transcript of that interview in full with Cardiff City TV.
Was this challenge and opportunity too big not to take?
Well, nice to see you, I'm delighted to be here, yeah, you've put it as well as I could have put it, it is too big an opportunity to turn down. It's always sad, because someone has to lose their job, and I know Neil (Harris) personally, but it does happen and I'm thrilled by the opportunity to come in, and try to get Cardiff back winning games and getting up the table.
This is a division you've mastered in the past, you know your way around this division, it is fair to say
Thank you, mastered might be bit of an overstatement, I've won it twice, yes, with Sunderland and Wolves, two good teams, two teams we had to build from pretty much nothing.
They had been relegated actually and bringing players in who were young, hungry, ready to go. I think there is a bit of a different challenge here, although it is a team who have been relegated from the Premier League recently. It seems to me we have a good squad of players, I'm looking forward to getting down to work. TC has come in with me, Terry Connor, who was with me at Wolves and we got promoted. I'm looking forward to it. I'm not quite sure we've mastered this league, we might do well in it, we might master it for one season, but mastering it completely is a bit of an oversell. But we have won it twice.
Is job one about getting those boys smiling and believing again?
Yes of course, and it is not one man's fault that we are in this position, I'm coming in, there'll be lot of reasons why we've not been winning games, but footballers like to be in a club where they are winning games. It's amazing how, if you can turn those fortunes around and win a few games you suddenly see players who haven't been producing, not scoring goals, letting goals in, it's not been working for them. They've got big, sad faces. Suddenly they've got beaming smiles and that is what I'd like to do. Get smiles back on players' faces, and if we do that we'll get smiles back on fans' faces. I think man-management is a big part of the job. If ever there was testimony to that it's one bloke who's been here, Neil Warnock. He's done it wherever he's gone and he's doing it now at Middlesbrough. He gets the best out of people, and if you get the best out of people you get results.
When you look at that squad, there is plenty of talent in it, isn't there?
Yes, there is. Always a question when I come in, why is it not working? I don't ever think it's one man's fault. They'll be lots of little reasons as to why, not winning games, and I know when players aren't winning games, they are out of the squad, not on the bench, or on the bench and don't get on and then they get taken off. If they're not winning, misery likes company. And the place can become a miserable place very quickly. I'm hoping that's not the case. Let's hope we get that bounce that new managers get.
Tell us some of your memories of Cardiff, the city and Ninian Park...
Hated it! Hated it, because we used to get beat here, that's why! I was just stood here in the foyer as I've come in, I've always loved coming here and playing because the atmosphere is great. I've not always been beaten because we won the league with Wolves and I remember having a great game at the old stadium, a rip-roaring night on a Tuesday night, it was brilliant for us because we won of course. But I've been beaten here so many times. I was just stood in the foyer and remembering the last time and saying what a horrible place this is to come, to play and how tough it is to come here and win. And I'd like to get that back.
One of the jobs is about getting this team playing football again so that when the fans come back they've got a team to cheer on and be proud of again
Of course, let's not forget, I'm stood here, replacing someone who was in the play-offs last year and did wonderfully well. That should be remembered as well. It always seems when someone is replaced, everything is wrong, and that can't be the case. But yes, of course we'd love to be getting a great brand of football, football we played at Wolves when we won the league, and people enjoying. Not just the players, the fans, the people at the club, me - I like to enjoy it as well. I like to come to work with a smile on my face. I pretty much do every day because I like to be consistent. And that's win, lose or draw. I couldn't stand managers that when you lost they didn't speak to me until Thursday, then they decided to speak to me and wanted me to go win for them on Saturday, which I could never understand. So having a smile on my face will help as well.
Which managers did you enjoy working with, who got the most out of you?
One of the best was at international level, Jack Charlton. Jack was just wonderful, with all the players. If you've heard the testimonies, which you may have since his death, every one of them openly said that they loved him. As a manager, as a coach, as a bloke. He was deadly serious. If he told you not to do it and you did it, he'd take you off, he'd bomb you out. He could be ruthless like that. Everybody loved him, loved playing for him, they'd run through a wall for him. I got on with all of them, to be honest. Some better than others, but Jack was one I really loved working with.
Work begins on Wednesday night and it surely couldn't begin anywhere closer to your heart
You could say the first two games, Barnsley away and Millwall at home! It's very close to my heart, my home town. I had a wonderful time there, 272 league games over six or seven years, made my debut there. But I've got no love for them - I'm here, I'm working here, I got promoted with Wolves by beating them at Barnsley. I'd like to start my career at Cardiff by beating them.
Training tomorrow (Saturday) morning, I bet you can't wait to stop talking to me and get out there
(Laughing) I understand this is a necessary evil, for us it always appears that way, but I understand it's necessary for you and for everybody to hear what I've got to say. We're really delighted to be here, thrilled to be asked and an honour to manage and coach at a club like this. And then get to work with the players, because that's the best bit.