Liam, first of all, welcome to Chelsea. How are you feeling sitting here as Chelsea head coach?

‘Proud. Excited. Can't wait to start. It's a lot of hard work in my life to get to this point, but as I've already said to the players, getting to this club is one thing, but I want to win at this amazing football club with these players and the staff. That is what my focus is on.

'When I first heard that Chelsea Football Club were interested in me becoming the new head coach, it was one of the proudest days of my life. Now I am sat here having met the staff and the players, and it's a day that myself and my family will never forget.’

You come from a football family, so it must also be a special moment for them?

‘I come from a proud football family and know what this club means to London as a city, how this club represents London as a city all over the world, the trophies this club has won, the managers who have had the privilege of what I'm living right now, and the players as well.

'There's a culture of winning and traditions and values that I want to uphold. I'm really, really looking forward to getting started.’

You're a London boy, of course, so that must give this an extra little something as well?

'I know how special this club is and I can't wait. Not just for me, but for all my family: my children, my son, AJ, my extended family, friends, they're all very, very happy for me. But the only way I keep them happy is to win.

'I know that's why I'm here and with the players that we have and the staff that we have, I'm very, very confident we can do that.'

You've had a chance to meet the players and staff. What are your first impressions?

'I feel at home; it's crazy after one day. I think Calum (McFarlane) has been magnificent – he and Harry (Hudson) have taken the team and there is a really, really good energy among the group.

'Obviously, there was a fantastic performance away at Manchester City in terms of all the things I want from the team: energy, intensity, togetherness, unity and quality. I was really, really happy with that and there's a really good feel around the club that hopefully I can add to.'

With that in mind, how would you describe yourself as a coach?

‘I think I'm demanding. I think I'm honest. Caring, I care about my team, I care about my players, I care about my staff. I’m meticulous and organised, and I have a clear idea of the way I want the game to be played.

'Now I'm in a position where I want to be remembered as a winning coach, consistently winning – and that doesn't come from just me. It's the club. It's the players. It’s the staff.

'My job is to create an atmosphere and environment where people enjoy what they do. If you enjoy what you do, you perform better, and if you perform better, you end up winning games of football.

'So if we are successful, it won't all be about me, but my job is to make sure that we're as organised, as committed, as determined, and we put pride into the shirt. If you do those things, normally, you win games of football.’

Calum has spoken about the passion and the attitude within the group. How key is that for you as a coach?

‘It's everything – I felt that in the team meeting when I spoke to the players very briefly before Calum took the training session. There's a really good connection between these players and I know a lot of people have spoken about the youth of this team, but youth can be a strength.

'I come from a club where our average age, I think, was 20.8 years, the youngest in Europe. Here, I think we are a little bit older and a little bit wiser but strength in youth is energy, it’s application, it's fitness, it's intensity. These are all things that I want the fans to see. I want us to play high-tempo, aggressive, front-foot football.

'I want the fans at home to be off their seat in the first ten minutes and feel like it's wave after wave, because when I played against the likes of (Michael) Essien, (Frank) Lampard, (Didier) Drogba, Arjen Robben, Joe Cole, you felt when you turned up at Stamford Bridge it was going to be a really difficult day.

'I want to create that feeling here. I want us to be intense, I want us to be brave and fearless, and if we do all of those things, we can have a really good time together.’

You know a few members of the squad already. As a coach, how much do you enjoy developing players and seeing them fulfil their potential?

‘For me, that's pure coaching; that's what coaching is. To win, you need to improve. To improve, you need to develop – and develop individuals.

'I've worked with Liam Delap [at Hull City] and had a great time with him. It’s great to see him at this club and that I get to work with him again. I've known Rob Sanchez since he was 16 years old at Brighton [when he was] coming through. So, I know Rob very well.

'Obviously, I had Andrey Santos last year [at Strasbourg]; he's got two beautiful children that he's brought into the world and he had an outstanding performance at Manchester City. But what I want to do is to get to know all of them very quickly because I think if you get to know people, you can improve them, and if they improve individually, you improve the collective and you win games.

'That’s what my staff and I will do very, very quickly here.'

It’s a busy schedule, but looking forward to your first home game. What will it mean to walk out at Stamford Bridge for the first time, and for the small matter of a League Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal?

'First game at home against Arsenal in a cup semi, that's what I live for and what I've worked so hard for. I know I'm perceived to be a young coach, and I don't want to get too much into myself about my journey, but it's something that I love doing and it’s a dream I've always had to be at a club of this magnitude.

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So, yes, it's going to be a great night, but coaching is not about you as an individual. Coaching is about serving others and I'm looking forward to not just that game, I'm looking forward to many, many good, good days to come.'

Even during your successful playing career, was coaching something in the back of your mind that you wanted to go on to do?

'I took soccer schools with my dad when I was 16 years old and throughout my playing career I have been coaching. When I was at Hull, for example, Jacob Greaves, I was coaching him while I was a player and he 13 years old. I then ended up coaching him as a first-team player at Hull.

'Coaching is in my blood and that's why I think I'm in the position I'm in now. I love what I do and that hopefully spreads to the players. I want them to love what they do, but I want us to win and that needs to be the message that I give the players and the message I give to the supporters.'

Growing up in the game, who were the coaches that you looked at and learned from?

'Well, he would kill me if I didn't say my dad! Obviously, your dad is your role model. My dad, when I was 15 or 16 years old, he managed Torquay United and got them promoted from League Two playing a style of football that I believe in.

'Brendan Rodgers, who was here at Chelsea [as an Academy coach], really affected my way of thinking when I was a player at Reading. I've had really top coaches – Chris Hughton's humility – and there are so many different influences.

'Coaching is just about football; it is about people, understanding people and trying to get the best out of them. That's what I want to do here.'

It’s an incredibly talented group and an ambitious club. What excites you most about the challenge ahead?

'The potential – I think the potential is scary. If you have what we have here in terms of the raw tools, the ingredients, the quality of the players, the age they're at, and in terms the staff.

'Then, in terms of the supporters, when Stamford Bridge is rocking and with the away fans, Chelsea away fans are top.

'My job is to create an atmosphere where we consistently win. I want to be here for a long time. I know I need to win in the short term, but I need to build for the long term.

'I don't want to single out individual players because every member of that squad is world-class in my eyes; I just want to improve them and I'm really, really looking forward to getting to work with them in the next few days.'

Finally, what would your message be to the Chelsea supporters?

'Believe. Believe in what's an amazing football club. Believe in the players, as when you give energy to your team, you help them win.

'That’s why I'm here. It’s why my staff are here. It’s why the players are here. We're here to win and I really, really need the fans to help us achieve that. I can't wait to meet them really soon.'