00:00Gateshead's new manager Alan Armstrong has made clear that he is delighted to have been appointed head coach of the club for the upcoming season in the National League but recognises that improvements must be made.
00:13I'm absolutely delighted to be honest with you. It took a lot longer than I thought it would have been but obviously there's been a lot of discussions ongoing and I'm delighted to be given the opportunity. I know how difficult it's going to be, I know part of the club but it's something I'm really willing to get my teeth into and look forward to.
00:32And for yourself in terms of making that decision to obviously take on the role and show your interest in it in that sense what has it been from your point of view that has made you want to take on the position really?
00:43I think because obviously I've been working at the academy for a year and I didn't think I wanted to come back into management to be honest with you but after seeing what is across here and the quality that they've had in the past and I think where the club is at now it seems as though I'm a perfect fit for it.
01:01And we know there's going to be a lot of hills to climb and a lot of issues that we've got to get past.
01:08And Sunderland Sporting Director Christian Speakman has outlined that preparations for the club's return to the Premier League are well underway behind the scenes.
01:18Well it sounds really good, I can't lie about that. A culmination of obviously a lot of hard work. In terms of reflecting I think it's a little bit early because by the time you've finished celebrating you're already locked into obviously what's going to come further forward and obviously it's really important for us and for the football club to get focused on obviously what next season is because it comes around really, really quick.
01:44It was the culmination of a four-year journey as you touched upon during which so many people on and off the field played such an important part.
01:51Yeah, I mean look, you don't get those outcomes and that success without loads of really, really good people making loads of good decisions and obviously culminating in having a successful team on and off the pitch.
02:05I think if you look at the football club towards the back end of the season, whether it's on the pitch with the team and obviously that never-say-die attitude.
