Jens Berthel Askou insists he's determined to bring his Motherwell success story to Toulouse after revealing he was written off when he first arrived in Scottish football.
The Danish boss led the Lanarkshire side to a fourth-place finish in his only season in Scotland and won plaudits for their brand of football. He left this summer to take charge of ambitious Ligue 1 side Toulouse.
And he's determined to bring his Fir Park experience to France. Askou said: "For me, in terms of athleticism, Ligue 1 is the second-highest league after the English Premier League, which is also why so many players here go to play in England.
"However, when you arrive in a new league as a foreign coach, whether you're playing against the best or the worst teams, in any type of game, there's always room to implement what you want.
"In Scotland, it was similar - there are also a ton of tackles, a maximum of intensity. At the beginning of last season, people told us that what we wanted to do there at Motherwell wasn't going to work.
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"We will be a very dynamic team, with plenty of pace. We will try to take the initiative in the game, to be dominant, with or without the ball.
"We will have a style that I hope will encourage the players to continue growing and pushing their limits – to the fullest extent of their potential. This involves taking risks. It will be enjoyable for my team and exciting for the fans. You'll see soon…
"I never intended to move from Motherwell so quickly because I like to think long-term, to have a vision supported by plans and strategies.
"But there was an opportunity to progress - that's modern football. Toulouse has a fantastic academy, training centre, and a lot of good young players.
"We are also the only club in the region, there is a whole cultural aspect to develop, which I really like too. Toulouse wants to be ambitious, and I'm on board with everything here."
