The 45-year-old was unveiled today as the successor to Phil Brown, who was sacked on Monday with the Tigers second from bottom of the league following last weekend's injury-time defeat by Arsenal.

It marks a return to the game for the former QPR and Crystal Palace manager for the first time since he assisted Alan Shearer at Newcastle in their ultimately unsuccessful fight against relegation last season.

Dowie has just nine games left to preserve top-flight status, starting with a visit to Portsmouth - who are all but relegated after being deducted nine points today for going into administration - but he insists he is not just in it for the short haul.

He said: "I'd like to see my future here for the long term.

"It's about me producing results - that is the game we are in."

Chairman Adam Pearson acted to replace Brown after a dreadful run of form and he too hopes Dowie will remain beyond the current campaign.

Pearson said: "It's a short-term contract with options on both sides.

"But it's a very permanent move. I'm expecting Iain to make a difference here, I'm expecting him to keep us in the Premier League and I'm expecting to sit down with him and sort out a full-time contract on May 15th."

Tim Flowers will join as assistant manager with Steve Wigley also joining the coaching team with Dowie describing him as a "touchline manager".

The former Northern Ireland international will take his first training session tomorrow and he is already impressed by what he has seen.

"It's a squad that has been put together over a couple of years," Dowie added.

"There are lots of attributes to it. I think it's getting the best out of them which is very important.

"I see a good mixture of experience and energy but also people who care about the club, there is a good core of people who are good pros."

Dowie, who wants his side to play attractive football, believes leadership will be essential and insists he has learned from his experience at Newcastle, despite their relegation.

"For me, what you learn is it's about cool heads, it's about taking your opportunities when they come, about having a positive outlook," he said.

"It's important you can cut it on the training ground. That will come tomorrow afternoon when the lads have had a training session - hopefully they will understand what I am about. It will be an intense session - they'll hopefully enjoy it but it will also be focused on what is a huge game."

While he denied having once made an alleged slur about Hull, Dowie admitted he had previously turned down the Tigers job before Brown took over because of the budget on offer.

"Me and Adam did have a brief opportunity to work together but Adam as always was very tight with the purse strings then. It didn't quite come off," he added.

While Pearson described his new manager as someone with "great passion, integrity and honesty", he admitted the appointment was something of a gamble given Hull's precarious position.

"It's definitely a gamble," Pearson continued.

"Everything in football is a risk to some degree but we've won six games out of 51.

"We haven't won away from home for over a year, we've conceded 100 goals in 50 games, we've lost our last four straight games. If we didn't take a gamble, all the stats are plainly saying we'd be relegated."

Pearson, who expects caretaker boss Brian Horton to leave, revealed: "We had three choices (of candidate) - we went into that with an open mind across all three.

"The advantage with Iain? Instantly on the pitch, operational now, and a point to prove - I am delighted he's here.

"We've got nine games; we've picked nine games because within them we think there are six eminently winnable ones.

"We have to be confident because if we're not then it won't end successfully."

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Dowie refused to read too much into last week's altercation between Jimmy Bullard and Nick Barmby although he was insistent on unity.

He continued: "Of course it is concerning, you don't want discord in the camp, but you don't want to over-read these things.

"I've been at loads of clubs - I was at West Ham with John Hartson and Eyal Berkovic - it can spark.

"It's very important we pull in the same way. No-one is more important than the direction in which we pull from the chairman down, we must be single-minded and selfless. It's not about individuals, it's about team unity.

"I'll be talking to the lads about that tomorrow. It's not an over-concern.

"In the end, it will be my opinion in the changing room and that is the one we want to hear."

While refusing to reveal his points target, the former Oldham manager admitted his nine matches at Hull represent the biggest challenge of his career.

"I think it is because it's me that is on the line but I am looking forward to keeping Hull in this division and establishing them as a Premier League force," he said.

Dowie's appointment has not been met with universal approval by the fans but he said: "My message is it's about us winning games.

"I believe I know the training ground, I believe I can get players playing attractive and open football.

"This needs to be a real cauldron. We'll be working every hour God sends."