Luigi De Canio said he was delighted to be back after being installed as coach of Udinese for the second time in his career.
The former Queens Park Rangers manager led the Bianconeri between 1999 and 2000, guiding them into the UEFA Cup at the end of his first season at the helm by winning the Intertoto Cup.
He was sacked during his second season in charge, though, and replaced by Luciano Spalletti -- the man whose Roma side effectively paved the way to his return, with Stefano Colantuono sacked in the wake of that defeat.
#DeCanio si presenta ai giornalisti. Ecco le parole del nuovo tecnico dell'#Udinese --> https://t.co/l7Ekamzddj pic.twitter.com/66IFd9Im6J
- Udinese Calcio (@Udinese_1896) March 15, 2016
"I'm delighted to be back," De Canio said upon arriving in Udine on Monday night, reports Il Messaggero Veneto. "The stadium is beautiful. This is a new start for my career. The Pozzi family [Udinese owners] have always led the way. Fifteen years have gone, but it feels like I never left."
De Canio has penned a contract until the end of the season and will be tasked with saving the club from the threat of relegation. With nine games of the season remaining, Udinese find themselves four points above the drop zone, but they have won only one of their last 11 Serie A fixtures.
De Canio's first game in charge is a trip to high-flying Sassuolo on Sunday, after which the Friulian outfit host Napoli. He has been out of work since being dismissed as coach of Catania in January 2014, after only 11 games in charge of the Sicilian club.
"I believe in the unity of this team. It's brought Udinese great results in the past," he told reporters. "There's no doubt we find ourselves in a difficult situation but I come with enthusiasm and desire to do well. We'll sit down with the players and work out how we're going to get out of this tight spot we're in.
"I want to use my experience and enthusiasm to help these players find the right mentality to get out of this rut," he said. "The club hasn't made any specific requests. Our target is to keep Udinese in Serie A in the best way possible.
"What comes before everything else is the good of Udinese. We all need to stick together, there must be no divisions," he said. "I need to speak to the players and see them in training then I'll be able to put my ability to good use here."