Steve McClaren has vowed to embrace Nottingham Forest's rich history and use it as inspiration to guide the club back to the Premier League.
Past glories were there for all to see as McClaren was unveiled as manager in the Robin Hood Suite at the City Ground yesterday.
Two replica European Cups glistened in the trophy room, while a photograph of former manager Brian Clough pouring champagne into one of them adorned the wall.
Many of his predecessors had wanted such images taken down, but not McClaren.
"I would never do that. It is part of the history and tradition," said the 50-year-old, who has signed a three-year contract to succeed Billy Davies.
"But what I also want to see is pictures of the current players in action and achieving things.
"You look at all the trophies and the pictures. You find yourself thinking 'look at that player, look at that one'. It is fantastic.
"We need to embrace what is here. You can't forget it, it is the inspiration.
"How can you not embrace that history? You can't forget it. We don't want to dismiss that. What we have to bring is a modern era and culture and try to create a new team and take small steps to trying to achieve something.
"The chairman has bought this club because he supported it all his life, and wants to see it back where it used to be.
"I want to see new pictures going up, of the present team winning things. They have been very close, and I am here to help them take the final step.
"Getting Nottingham Forest into the Premier League is a big and difficult challenge, but I don't fear it."
As a Derby player during the Clough era, McClaren knows all about Forest's heritage, and insists he had no doubts about resuming his managerial career in England in the npower Championship.
"I had no hesitation about managing in the Championship, it's very competitive and very well respected abroad," he added.
"Look at the names who are managing in the Championship now, and some of the players that are playing at this level. There are a lot of what you would call Premier League teams in this division and the attendances are fantastic, amongst the best in Europe.
"I could have waited, I could have taken up offers I had from abroad, but I like a challenge. I am willing to take risks, that's why I fall flat on my face sometimes."
McClaren may have been referring to his ill-fated 16-month spell as England head coach.
Three years on, and after an Eredivisie title with Dutch side FC Twente helped restore his reputation, the former Middlesbrough manager admits the England job came too early in his career.
"I like club football, I like developing a team, I like working with people on a regular basis and maybe it was too early in experience, but I'm a lot more experienced after going through it," he added.
"I will hold my hands up and admit that it came a bit soon. (Middlesbrough owner) Steve Gibson has said the same thing.
"But it is going to make me a stronger and a better manager. I'm 50 and I'd like to think I've a good few years left. In fact, if you look at Sir Alex Ferguson, Harry Redknapp and Roy Hodgson, you could say I'm relatively young."
.jpg&h=115&w=225&c=1&s=1)
