Ryan Mason launched his second spell as Tottenham's caretaker boss with a declaration that he was 'comfortable' in the role, 'ready' for the demands and open to the idea of taking it on a permanent basis if it goes well.
Mason steps once more unto the breach after Spurs sacked Cristian Stellini, acting head coach since Antonio Conte's exit last month, following Sunday's dismal 6-1 defeat at Newcastle.
At 31, he will be the youngest manager in the Premier League, just as he was during seven games at the helm two years ago, and was keen to stress his willingness and suitability to lead the club where he played through the final six games of another turbulent season, starting at home to Manchester United, on Thursday. 'You have to be ready and I am ready,' said Mason. 'I don't doubt that. I've always said in football and life that you have to deal with what is in front of you. We handled it well two years ago. A lot has happened in two years but I feel fine in this situation.'
Asked what had changed since last time, he replied: 'Probably just confirmation that I'm ready.' And on the subject of the permanent job, he said: 'Honestly, for me I feel ready. I know I'm ready. If that situation happens, it obviously means we've done a good job. That's fast-forwarding four or five weeks.
'The club have said that they feel like my position is the best solution until the end of the season, and I'm going to do that to the best of my ability. Hopefully, we can have a positive impact on the group. The focus is on these next six games then in the summer we'll see what the best situation is for the football club.'
Mason came through the Tottenham academy, broke into the first team and won one England cap before a £13million move to Hull City, where his career ended prematurely after fracturing his skull in a clash of heads with Gary Cahill at Chelsea.
After retiring at 27, he was invited back to Spurs to being a coaching career and was working with the academy players when asked to step in as interim manager in April 2021 when Jose Mourinho was sacked, six days before a League Cup final against Manchester City.
There were mixed results. They lost that final against City, won four and lost two of the six Premier League games and Mason returned to the academy as head of player development, when Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed.
Nuno, however, only lasted until November, at which point Conte arrived and promoted Mason back into a first team coaching role.
'I've been coaching for six years, which I think is a long time,' Mason said on Wednesday. 'I've spent a lot of time on grass. I'm young, but not in terms of a coach.
'Six years of coaching solid is a long time. A normal player retires at 35 and if you fast forward six years then you're 40, 41 and the perception is probably totally different. In terms of my age I may be young but not in terms of my coaching experience.'
Tottenham have appointed Matt Wells, a former academy coach who was assistant to Scott Parker at Fulham and Bournemouth, to assist him. Nigel Gibbs, a former Watford full-back with a long coaching career, will also step up from the academy to help.
Several players, including Harry Kane, are friends and former teammates but Mason said: 'Ultimately, they knew two years ago and they know now that I am a decision-maker. That's my job. They are going to have to respect that and understand that and I am going to make decisions which I feel are the best for the team to get a result.'