PHIL Brown hopes to put his time out of football to good use by helping Southend to reach the play-offs.
Brown's first game in charge of the League Two promotion hopefuls will come at Bradford City on Friday, a side he has watched closely this season.
With the Bantams managed by his friend Phil Parkinson, who brought him to Hull City as a coach, their run to the League Cup final has given Brown extra insight into their strengths and weaknesses.
And the 53-year-old hopes that can help him get off to a winning start as a League Two manager for the first time in his career.
"I know quite a bit about this division," said Brown.
"In the 12 to 15 months that I've been out of work, I've taken in three or four games every week, in every division.
"I've also watched Bradford about three times this season in the League Cup where they had some great exploits.
"It's a tough game to start with, but I'm excited to be here because this club has fantastic potential."
Having been confirmed as the successor to Paul Sturrock, the former City manager is aiming to close the six-point gap and secure a place in the play-offs.
"If we can get a winning run going and the players play to the potential that I know they can, then there's every opportunity that we can get in the play-offs," said Brown, who has signed a contract until the end of the 2014-15 season.
"It will be a tough ask as there are only seven league games to go and we probably need to win them all or at least six.
"But I fully intend to come in and hit the ground running and, with the renewed confidence of a new manager coming in, fingers crossed we can still get promoted from this division."
