Valerien Ismael insists he will adapt his style of play to suit Blackburn Rovers squad and won't make sweeping changes in the final 12 games of the season.
Rovers sit sixth in the Championship standings with a dozen games to go. It is a rare and unique opportunity for a head coach to inherit.
Ismael will be balancing the long-term vision and strategy, having penned terms until 2028, alongside the short-term focus of securing a play-off berth.
During his time at Barnsley and West Brom, the Frenchman was known for implementing a direct style which focussed on high pressing and energy. But in his last two jobs, he has deviated to a more possession-based approach.
READ MORE: ISMAEL ON ROVERS CONTRACTS AND BUDGETS
Ismael explained why that was and insisted there will be no revolution for the final sprint to the finish line.
"I think it's more that to observe what kind of player I have to do the job I try to do. I don't want to force anything anymore," Ismael said on style of play.
"You know that you need the player to be able to do the job. I always adapted to the player head, so that's when I came to Barnsley. I came from LASK when we played with high-intensity football. It was the same international, we had some great success.
"When I came to Barnsley, I recognised straight away that it was more out of possession thing for the player. They were more comfortable. You move to West Brom when the board wanted me to implement that way and I tried to implement it.
The last two clubs I had with Besiktas and Watford, the quality of the player was completely different. You know you will dominate the ball, then it was more the possession-based philosophy we had. I am adaptable.
For sure I have some idea, I would like to have a bit of both. This is what you need and for that you need to pick the right player to make sure on one hand you are able to put that intensity and on the other hand to have some solution with the ball."
"Right now, you have the short-term focus, so it means 12 games remaining, just to support the players, not to touch too much because I think the players did well so far," he added.
"The staff with David Lowe did brilliantly so far, so it means something is right at the minute. I'm just here to support, to observe and to add where I have to add, or my feeling is to add."
Ismael has been known as a strict disciplinarian and spoke a little about what he expects of his Blackburn players.
"I have my principles on the pitch and I have my rules," he said with a smile.
"Respect, discipline, commitment and hard work. It was my rules as a player, as a human being and as a head coach.
I try to stick to my rules because I know that it brought me success. Football is a bumpy road, especially for a head coach, but you have to stay true to yourself, stick to your principles, try to adapt, to evolve and then at some point the success will come."
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