Friday 3 June 2016 12:42, UK
Nigel Pearson is acutely aware he put the building blocks in place for Leicester's incredible Barclays Premier League title success and he hopes to replicate the process at Derby.
His formal introduction as the new Derby manager on Thursday was a rare media appearance since losing his job as Leicester boss last summer, just weeks after masterminding the club's escape from relegation.
Pearson admitted he had been presented with "dozens and dozens" of opportunities to provide some lucrative insider insight on Leicester as the season reached its climax, turning them all down with no wish to be "an expert witness" to his old club's triumph.
However, the 52-year-old, who has signed a three-year contract at the iPro Stadium, was gracious in his praise for successor Claudio Ranieri but knows that one of the greatest story in the history of English football had much to do with his two spells as Leicester manager.
"The Leicester story is a very good one. I'm aware of my contribution and what I have done at Leicester," said Pearson.
"It's a fantastic story and I'm genuinely delighted for the players and my ex-colleagues and staff. It's unbelievable. It's right to recognise that. Claudio Ranieri managed with an awful lot of skill. They are my observations from afar.
"But that's the end of the story. I draw a line under that and move on. I had a lot of success at Leicester City. My achievements there speak for themselves.
"I had dozens and dozens of opportunities to talk about it, but that's not something I decided to pursue. It's not my scene."
Leicester's formidable team spirit was often cited as a major factor in their title success and Pearson admitted he would like to instil something similar at Derby.
"You look at them as a group of players, their togetherness and spirit shines out like a beacon. You don't get that overnight," said the former Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough defender.
"I build things and one of things you need is enough short-term success to allow you to build things. Things don't happen overnight, they don't happen instantly. Leicester is a good example of that.
"Now I've got a new job, a big challenge, and here there is an emphasis on developing the whole of the football club.
"There are things I'll do the same (as at Leicester) and there are things I'll do differently. You have to be yourself but you have to be flexible in how you manage.
"Ultimately though, the aim is promotion. We have to get in the Premier League first but of course we would like to follow the path of Leicester's recent success."
