Last Tuesday saw Malachy O’Rourke officially announced as the new Tyrone football manager.

The former Fermanagh boss was the only name in the hat after being nominated by his club, Errigal Ciaran.

O’Rourke is probably one of the most sought-after managerial names in the country and he had been linked with the vacant Derry post recently as well.

The Derrylin native brings success pretty much wherever he goes having guided Monaghan to Ulster titles, Fermanagh to within a whisker of one in 2008 and more recently leading Derry side Glen to All-Ireland Club glory last season. He also led another Derry club, Loup to an Ulster Club title.

But now he takes over from Brian Dooher and Fergal Logan in the Red Hand hotseat.

He will be accompanied by his familiar coaches, Ryan Porter and Leo McBride, to begin with but he said there will be other people added to the management team.

O’Rourke spoke to Tyrone GAA last Tuesday and gave an insight into his motivation for allowing his name to be put forward and what he is expecting from his time with Tyrone.

“Wherever I went it was always about the collective and trying to mould everybody together and it is no different here,” he said.

“If everybody is moving together in the same direction and everybody is really focussed on a nearly like a higher purpose. If it is fragmented and some people are with you and some people aren’t with you in that there it’s an awful lot harder.

“I’ve been lucky I have enjoyed a lot of success along the way and you enjoy the successes surely but the whole journey has been brilliant and you take some great memories and you meet some great people along the way and that is probably the most enjoyable thing of all.”

Making sure everybody is valued and not taking players for granted is a big part of I for O’Rourke who said the Tyrone players are the most important people and “we have to do everything in our power to try and create an environment where them boys can flourish”.

“If we do that and we take care of our side of things then it’s up to the players to produce what they can on the field.

O’Rourke said there was hesitation in letting Errigal Ciaran out his name forward for the job.

“I was delighted when they asked me would I let my name go forward. I just feel it’s a massive challenge. I’m going in with my eyes wide open.

“It’s a big county, there’s a lot of expectations and I know there’s going to be an awful lot of work and I’m sure the players know that as well.”

“At the same time, it’s a great challenge and there is a great panel of players there at the minute. There’s also a lot of talent coming through and that’s a product of the club, system the school system, the other underage setups.

“There’s an awful lot of people who have done an awful lot of work and we just hope that we can come in and develop it further and build on different things.

“But the bottom line is working really hard and everyone buying into it completely and being prepared to commit to every aspect of preparation and that is what gives you a chance of being successful.”

O’Rourke, who is still in charge of Glen, is well aware of how passionate Tyrone people are about football having lived and played in the county for over three decades.

“It’s a football-mad county, there’s a massive passion for football in the county.

“But it’s no different to any county or any club. If you want success everybody has to be working really hard and singing off the same hymn sheet.

“There are no shortcuts. That’s hopefully what we will be impressing on the players and I have no doubt the players in the county are really committed and I really look forward to getting a chance to meet them and work with them and hopefully bring some success.”

With collective training for county teams unlikely to begin until December, O’Rourke will have some time to get his setup finalised.

And he is all to aware that he is following in the footsteps of some high-profile Tyrone men who have come before him.

“I want to do well and do well for the county.

“I know that I am coming into a great set up and I know the people who have been here before - Fergal and Brian and Collie and Joe have done great work and loads of managers before that. There’s a really healthy set up and I have massive shoes to fill. I am coming in after Tyrone legends and I am well aware of that.

“I’m going to play a small part in the history of Tyrone GAA no matter what I do but I just hope that I can do it justice and bring success in the time I am here.”