Neil McCann leans on several former Kilmarnock managers
Neil McCann reached out to several successful Kilmarnock managers after being installed as Rugby Park boss but was staying "laser-focused" on the immediate future rather than setting lofty ambitions.
The former Dundee manager was this week named as Stuart Kettlewell's permanent successor and comes in ahead of a crucial William Hill Premiership encounter at bottom side Livingston.
Killie are without a win in 14 games but Livi are four points adrift after going 18 league matches without victory.
McCann, who has combined TV punditry with consultancy work for an agency in recent times, said: "My ambitions for my time right now is to make an impact.
"I've got no long-term plans because I don't think we're in a luxury of that position to look too far ahead.
"There's been terrific managers that have found great success here and I've leaned on every single one of them since taking the job.
"Jim Jefferies has been in touch, Stevie Clark, Derek McInnes, guys that I feel that I can completely relate to in terms of their personalities, what they can offer. They've done great things here at the club.
"The view is right now it has to be completely laser-focused. That's Livingston at the weekend.
"Of course I've got an eye on what we would like to do here as a football club but as I said to the boys in the dressing room, my previous job was analysing football, analysing performances, analysing individuals and teams and I think I can improve the group.
"The boys have been in a lot of games - like Livingston - and there's details that are costing us. So what's gone is gone and this is a new page moving forward."
McCann took over a Dundee side who had suffered seven-consecutive defeats and led them to Premiership safety at the end of the 2016-17 season before landing the job on a permanent basis.
The former Scotland international was sacked 18 months later and his coaching jobs since have been interim stints, firstly as Inverness manager and then as part of Barry Ferguson's backroom team at Rangers last season.
The 51-year-old's appointment has not been universally welcomed by fans but he knows results will ultimately determine perceptions.
"I don't read social media," he said. "As long as my boys in the dressing room are engaging in what I'm giving them in the training field, results will dictate that, completely dictate that.
"I've been given a huge vote of confidence by a board to come and take the reins. I think I must have done enough to give them the confidence to do that within the interview process.
"In my past experiences, going into Dundee, going into Inverness, time before that with Jim Jefferies at Dunfermline during a very difficult period and of course at Rangers, I fully believe in myself.
"But again, I'm not pumping my own tyres up here. It's going to be real hard work in terms of what we're going to try and achieve. Time will tell whether we are going to get the results.
"We get our first win, I think we'll catch fire."
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