Sam Allardyce has revealed that chairman Ellis Short's ambition persuaded him to take the Sunderland job.
The former-West Ham United man was announced as the Black Cats' new manager yesterday, following Dick Advocaat's departure last weekend, signing a two-year contract.
Whilst there was speculation that he may not take the job due to the difficulty of the task, with Sunderland winless after eight Premier League games, he has said that he recognises the direction the club wants to go in and is keen to play his part in helping them get there.
Allardyce "wanted to be part" of Sunderland's project
Allardyce and Short sat down this week to discuss the vacancy at the Stadium of Light, and the manager has admitted, via the Sunderland Echo, that the chairman's "ambitions" convinced him to take the job, with him saying that he "knew" that he "wanted to be a part of that."
The 60-year-old spent a season with the Black Cats during his playing days, making 25 appearances between 1980 and 1981, and has said that he is keen to "bring the stability and success that everyone wants" to Wearside.
The task at hand has been emphasised by many, but Allardyce is not phased by this, recognising that "it's a challenging job" but that his "experience" can help him take it on.
Manager raring to go after short break
After leaving West Ham in the summer, Allardyce was prepared to enjoy a lengthy break from football, but has been drawn out of that time off after five months.
However, he admits that he is "raring" to go, saying that he "enjoyed" the break but "can't wait to get started" with Sunderland.
Speaking about his time with the club as a player, he said that he knows about the "tremendous passion" that the fans have on Wearside, having "experienced [it] first-hand," and is "relying on [their] help" to turn things around.
Allardyce also added that he is "looking forward to working with the players," with many away at the moment with their respective countries during the current international break.
The new manager's first fixture is a trip to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion, with him looking to bring the Sunderland faithful their first league victory of the new season.