Peter Moores will thrive as England coach despite his lack of international experience, according to the coach who knows him best.
Sussex cricket manager Mark Robinson believes Moores' own reputation will be enough to earn him the respect of big names like Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen in the England dressing room.
Moores will be officially unveiled at a press conference at the National Academy in Loughborough today.
He was appointed last Friday to succeed Duncan Fletcher, who resigned following England's Ashes whitewash and their disappointing World Cup campaign.
He starts work next Tuesday and his first series as coach against West Indies starts at Lord's on May 17.
Moores was chosen ahead of high-profile candidates such as Tom Moody and Dav Whatmore even though he never played Test or one-day international cricket during a county career spanning 15 years.
Robinson said: "How many of the top-class football managers were top-class players?
"(Jose) Mourinho, (Arsene) Wenger, (Sir Alex) Ferguson - they were never the best players but look at them now as managers. They are the best in the world.
"Pete might not have played Test cricket but he has got great experience in that dressing room environment.
"And he can always bring in a number two or back-up guy who has played Test cricket to help him out, although I can't see it being a problem anyway.
"Pete will get a huge amount of respect from the players as a coach - that's the most important thing."
Expectation levels As Moores takes the next step up to assume arguably the most high-profile coaching role in cricket, the expectation levels and scrutiny will inevitably soar.
But Robinson, whose success in leading Sussex to their second Championship in four years last season owed much to the legacy left by Moores, claims his former team-mate and boss will not be fazed.
He said: "The pressure will be greater but Pete backs himself to handle anything. He never shies away from a challenge.
"He has got big enough shoulders to cope. One thing I would never question is his strength of character.
"He has got steely eyes. He stands up for everything that is right in the game and he's prepared to go toe to toe with anyone. No one should doubt that he will be a strong guy."
Moores' appointment has also been welcomed by Michael Vaughan, who has been re-appointed as captain for the West Indies series.
They worked together this winter when the National Academy was based in Perth during the Ashes series.
Vaughan said: "I spent a three or four week period with him pre-Christmas but other than that I've not really had that much of an opportunity to work with him.
"He's obviously got a great record at Sussex and he has done really well at the Academy.
"He's got a great enthusiasm for the game and he is forward-thinking. I really do think it is a great appointment for the English game.
"He has got a great opportunity. The England team and the English game has got a lot of talent and we have to find the character and attitude to match that but we have definitely got a lot of talent to work with."
ECB chief executive David Collier acted quickly to secure Moores after another country, thought to be West Indies, had earnarked him as a potential new coach.
Moores was on a short-list of three to coach West Indies in 2004 but the job went to Australian Bennett King.
Collier said: "Peter was very much in mind for one other country and we wanted to make sure we acted quick enough to get our number one candidate in place.
"I was very keen that we were decisive and moved quickly. Coaches of Peter's calibre are going to be targeted at the end of the World Cup, there is no doubt about that.
"We didn't want to suddenly find out we had lost the best candidate for the role. We also have a Test match starting in three weeks and we didn't want to be in limbo during that period - that wouldn't have made any sense at all."
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