MARK Hughes started work as the new manager of Blackburn Rovers today - and he immediately spelled out exactly what he expects from his players.

Hughes will take charge of his first game when Portsmouth visit Ewood Park tomorrow and the 40-year-old's first goal is to fire Rovers up the Premier League table.

Blackburn currently occupy 19th place after taking just two points from their opening five matches.

But Hughes believes his new club are in a false position and he's optimistic about the season ahead.

"The target of staying up is always there because the consequences of going out of this league are too bad to contemplate but it's not our only target," said Hughes.

"We want to make sure we can move the club forward.

"We need to make sure we're competitive as a club and a team, and I'm sure we can be.

"It's important we get some points on the board as quickly as we can just to steady everybody down, then we can look forward to a good season after that."

Hughes has certainly wasted little time in throwing himself into his new job.

He was due to take his first training session this morning and intends to play a full part in preparing the team to face Pompey as Rovers seek their first win of the season.

"The work for the week has more or less been done so from my point of view it's a case of meeting the players and telling them this is the way it's going to be," said Hughes.

"We could have waited until the weekend but the club has been in a little bit of turmoil for the last 10 days or so and there's a bit of uncertainty so it's important that I get in there and say 'I'm here and ready to work'".

Hughes has already started the process of drafting in his own backroom team to assist him at Rovers.

Mark Bowen, a trusty lieutenant of Hughes's in the Wales set-up, has been confirmed as the club's new assistant manager.

And Hughes has described him as a great addition to the new-look coaching set-up at Brockhall.

"Mark is a fantastic appointment and I'm really delighted that he's been able to come on board," said Hughes.

"He's got great ability as a coach, he was very instrumental in the success that Birmingham had when they came up into the Premiership and the impact he had on that club is probably underestimated.

"He's a UEFA pro-licence coach, as I am myself, and I don't think there's many clubs who have two senior pro-licence coaches in place at senior coaching level."

In the meantime, Hughes has revealed he would have liked to continue in his role as the Welsh manager had Rovers allowed it.

Instead, Hughes will relinquish that post after next month's World Cup qualifiers against England and Poland.

"There were occasions when I thought that could be possible, but possibly that was my heart ruling my head."