Roy Hodgson has been unveiled as Liverpool's new manager after signing a three-year contract at Anfield.
And the 62-year-old has set his first priority at securing the long-term futures of star duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.
Rafa Benitez's successor spoke of his delight at being offered the job at a press conference this afternoon at Anfield, declaring it 'the right thing' at this stage of his career and outlined his vision to reporters of restoring the club's place in Europe's premier club competition.
Ex-Fulham manager Hodgson also pleaded for the Kop to persevere with him during the interim period of is reign, vowing to give his all for the club.
He said: "This is a very big club, a club with enormous tradition, and whatever happens in the future when the club is sold I am sure it will get stronger rather than weaker.
"I am convinced that the chance to work here is the right thing for me at this point in my career."
"My No.1 priority is always the football team. I will try to help the team do a little bit better that it did last season and get back into those Champions League spots.
"I am looking forward to the challenge. It is our job that we don't disappoint the fans.
"The ambitions of this club should always be of the very highest level and that is where we are going to be aspiring to.
"I am here for the long haul. I am here to do the job that needs to be done, hopefully winning trophies very, very quickly, and if we can't then I will have to hope the club has patience with me.
"The fans are fantastic and back the club to the hilt. I can only hope they will do that for me. I will do my best for them and I can't promise more than that."
A clear-out is expected to take place before the close of the summer transfer window and assistant manager Sammy Lee is expected to be the first casualty despite Hodgson insisting that he would be happy to work with him.
Hogson also dismissed claims that he will not be raiding old club Fulham as he prepares to usher in a new era on Merseyside.
He was flanked by chairman Martin Broughton and made his feelings on the futures of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who have both been linked with moves away from Anfield, clear but offered no guarantees that he would be able to convince the duo to remain at the club.
"It is very important for the club," he added.
"I personally can't nail their feet to their floor but I can try and persuade them that if they stay here they can have a good season and it is going to be a good club to play for.
"To some extent these matters are out of my hands but I do know that the club is very anxious to keep all their best players.
"I am very anxious to keep all our best players and we will do everything in our power to do that. But the fans are intelligent and understand the situation.
"They can't expect me to sit here on my first day and give guarantees that nothing will ever happen."
Broughton backed up the claims of his new manager and insisted that the pair were not available at any price despite Liverpool's debts now exceeding £351million.
He insisted: "I know there are rumours out there about the club needed to sell players.
"If I can just go on record again and say they are not for sale, we don't need the money. We don't have any desire or need to sell players in order to pay down the debt."
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