Monday 25 July 2016 13:29, UK
Sam Allardyce has said his experiences saving clubs are 'big achievements' and he can make the England team better.
The 61-year-old was appointed 10 years after he was first interviewed for the role having emerged as the FA's leading candidate to replace Roy Hodgson.
Allardyce brings a wealth of experience to the position having managed in the Premier League with Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham and Sunderland.
While those roles have earned him a reputation as a turnaround specialist rather than someone who delivers silverware with any regularity, he is adamant that does not matter.
Allardyce said: "I've managed world class players - Fernando Hierro, Jay-Jay Okocha, Gary Speed, Nicolas Anelka, Youri Djorkaeff and Michael Owen.
"I've managed some really talented players. The good thing about really talented players is they make your life easier because they do what you want and it takes you less time to prepare.
"Working with the England elite players will be exciting for me as they can take on board what we want to do quickly because they are the best in this country.
"When it comes to winning no trophies, unfortunately for me as an English manager, I never really got the chance to go right to the very top of the Premier League.
"You look at what I've achieved over years, saving clubs and not being relegated - they're big achievements and they're difficult to do.
"They don't hold same category as winning the league or FA Cup but it's very important in today's Premier League to secure a football club's financial status."
Allardyce's first objective will be to lead England to the World Cup finals in Russia two years from now but ultimately the aim is to end a half-century long wait for another major trophy.
The national team's exit from Euro 2016 to Iceland was a clear low point - but the new manager has offered a sense of perspective.
He added: "I wouldn't suggest this is rock bottom - disappointing, but I don't think it is rock bottom. The most important thing now is to do what we've always done and be very good at qualifying.
"Then we can go to the in-depth levels about how we challenge ourselves to actually produce better results in tournaments, which is obviously the World Cup in 2018.
"We all had great hopes for the Euros because of the way we qualified for them, which was a fantastic run of games.
"I hope the lads can continue where they left off from that point of view. Once we get there we can plan.
"People see me as being able to go in and turn a club around quickly. I consider myself to be much more than that, personally, but that was the sort of label I was left with.
"I can turn things around pretty quickly and I can get among teams and staff quickly and create a successful journey which starts with us all pulling together.
"I'm hardened over many, many years. You toughen yourself for whatever job you take because you take the good with the bad. Otherwise you don't do it. Don't bother.
"I'm here because I want the challenge, because I think I can make the team better and I think I'm tough enough to take it, so bring it on lads."
