Chris Hughton checks in

Notes from Chris Hughton's formal unveiling

For Alex McLeish, it became the 'Untenable Job'

For Chris Hughton, it was very different: the kind of job that 'only comes around every so often'.

The new Birmingham City manager cut a sharp, enthused and focused figure when he was formally unveiled at St Andrew's.

Even though Hughton's first public comments since succeeding McLeish were delivered in the Kop stand's Jasper Carrott Suite, it was no comedy routine.

Very purposeful and businesslike, Hughton began as he clearly means to go on.

No jokes, or wisecracks; just a seriousness about what matters - the football.

McLeish, on May 21, spoke about how privileged he was to be Blues boss.

And he opined that there would be a queue of managers 'from here to Glasgow who would want my job, if it's not me in it.'

A couple of days after Roberto Martinez rejected Aston Villa, he was off over the road.

Hughton was of many in that queue, then, but he was always the number one contender in Blues' eyes.

He impressed in his interview, which confirmed to Peter Pannu that not only was he a man and manager of substance, but he could work with the board and would relish tackling the 'Untenable Job'.

His was a sensible appointment by the Blues board for where they and the club are presently at. And they have to be commended for the professional, thorough and swift way they went about getting McLeish's replacement.

There was no lurching to and fro, no embarrassing knock-backs, no baggage for the new man to lug in with him.

Some players will have to be sold to ease the financial burden - suggestions that a wholesale £50 million purge have been exaggerated for effect - and Hughton didn't shy away from confirming as much.

But he vowed to deal with it and ensure Blues had a squad good enough to compete in the Championship and also play with a pride in the badge.

He will have clarified with Pannu about the extent of the necessary off-loading and, surely, if the board insisted they wanted to sell everything that wasn't nailed down, then he wouldn't have taken the position.

"I know where we are as a club, I know where we are financially as a club."

When asked about Eck's parting shot at the board, he wasn't fazed.

"Anything which has been written in the past is very much in the past. I can only speak about my relationship which I will have with Peter and the board.

"I can assure everyone there will not be a player who comes into this football club without my blessing.

"I want to have a good relationship with Peter and the board. It's very important, more important in the modern game, and I expect us to work together - particularly in the immediate time where there is a lot of work to do. It's important we're all heading in the right direction."

And was McLeish's resignation and defection to Villa a shock to him?

"I think there aren't so many surprises in football these days. All I can do is welcome the great opportunity for myself.

"As soon as that opportunity became apparent it was one that ticked a lot of boxes for me. It's difficult to sit here and speak about anything in the past. All I can do is speak about the future, the desire that I have to have a team that is going to show that desire to want to get back into Premier League."

Hughton, who signed a one-year rolling contract, accepted the remit of promotion.

The same was expected of McLeish, and Hughton, who stormed the Championship with a Newcastle United side laden with quality two seasons ago, didn't see this demand as adding any extra pressure, nor the fact how he felt 'honoured' to become the first managerial appointment of the Carson Yeung regime.

"I spoke with him last night. It was a conversation from the owner congratulating me on the job and welcoming me to the club.

"Any pressure which is spoken about is the pressure every manager will have.

"We're all conscious these days of what is required and what the supporters want. That pressure comes with the job. You have to accept that. I walked into the job on the first day knowing that's the pressure with it. If I wasn't prepared to accept that I wouldn't be sitting here."

Bright and eager to get on with things, Hughton came over well when he was paraded in front of the media.

He seemed like a man with a plan, self-assured but not arrogant - and undoubtedly determined.