Stevie Crawford has set out the first challenge he wants to tackle as No.2 to Liam Fox at Dundee United.
The former Scotland international left his managerial job at East Fife at the weekend to assist Fox at Tannadice.
Although leaving Bayview behind was bittersweet for the 48-year-old, he jumped at the chance to team up with the new Tangerines boss again.
If the task of mounting an East Fife League Two title challenge was a big one, trying to push Dundee United up the Premiership table is, arguably, even more sizeable.
First challenge
Rumours of a dressing room fallout between players and former boss Jack Ross, appear to have eased with the instalment of Fox.
Crawford stressed building a rapport with the players will be his top priority.
“The first challenge for myself is getting a relationship with the players,” he said. “It’s easy to say this player isn’t doing that or whatever.
“I’ll always have the players’ backs and if players are being lazy then I will tell them to their faces but there’s a way in which you can tell players.
“You don’t need to shout but it’s about getting that honesty and a relationship with the players but also that I am there for Liam.
“I have been an assistant manager and a manager previously and I know what it’s like to have good people around you.
“First and foremost, it’s about making sure Liam keeps a clear mind, he can bounce whatever he wants off me and just help to bring positivity.
“The immediate challenge is to get Dundee United winning games.
“The players can’t just think ‘Stevie is here to fix everything’ or because Liam has got the job that it will take a few weeks for him to know me, hopefully we build relationships and get challenged by players that are going to ask questions about playing in the top league.
“That excites me; conversations with international players are the things I will look forward to, and I am not frightened to put myself back into it.”
Liam Fox reunion
Crawford and Fox go back years.
They first crossed paths during their time at the coaching set-up at Hearts.
He revealed discussions about the move to the Premiership side came about quickly before the appointment was confirmed on Friday.
“I had a couple of conversations with Tony Asghar and then Liam Fox on Wednesday evening, but it never became finalised until Friday morning,” he said.
“My relationship with Liam goes back to when he was the usnder-18s manager at Hearts, when I worked with Robbie Neilson as his assistant.
“The relationship grew from there, me and Liam have had many a discussion. He’s been there to bounce things off when I was the manager at Dunfermline.
“We had good conversations because sometimes being away from somebody’s environment they can tell you something just might be for that hidden gem.
“I’m delighted to be getting the opportunity, it’s a hard one because I have really enjoyed being back at East Fife albeit frustrations at now managing to save the club from relegation last season.”
‘Recharge batteries’
Crawford is a highly-rated coach within the Scottish game and comes with bags of experience north and south of the border.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the former Tangerines striker, who admits he needed a break after leaving Dunfermline last year.
But he couldn’t keep away for long and helping out at Edinburgh City brought back his hunger for the game.
“I’ve been at Falkirk where I worked with Steven Pressley, Robbie Neilson took me into Hearts and also went down to MK Dons with him so there’s been bumps and bruises on the way,” Crawford explained.
“I then get an opportunity at Dunfermline. After I left Dunfermline, I felt I was done and needed to recharge the batteries.
“Gary Naysmith was needing a hand at Edinburgh City and you go back into a part-time environment there and I saw that East Fife were looking for a new manager.”
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