Raith Rovers: New boss Ian Murray attracted by club's brand of football

Murray was officially unveiled at Stark’s Park on Tuesday afternoon and paid tribute to his predecessor John McGlynn and the footballing style he had the team playing, saying he hopes to build upon the success of the last couple of campaigns.

"I'm delighted to be the next manager of Raith Rovers,” he said.

"I want to give a special mention to John McGlynn who has built a really good squad.

"They had a good season and he has Raith Rovers playing really good football.

"I also want to give a thanks to Airdrieonians Football Club for allowing me this opportunity.

"They gave me a chance back in management when I was in Norway so I can't thank them enough.

"I've made great friends there for life but now a new chapter starts for me and a new chapter begins for Raith Rovers.

"As much as I had a fantastic and enjoyable time at Airdrie, I see Raith Rovers as an opportunity in a higher league.

"I was always impressed by the way they played football, that was a factor in my decision.

"They're very expansive and very attacking. I always felt as an opposition manager coming here it was a tough environment to get points and win games.

"The squad looks really good. Knowing some of the guys from playing against them - one of them [Sam Stanton] I've known since he was a young apprentice at Easter Road, that's how old I am! - was also a factor.

"I'm looking forward to getting started, meeting the players formally and discussing some ideas with the senior pros as well.

"We're looking to get started.”

Raith Chairman, Steve MacDonald, said they had a number of impressive applications for the job but Murray was always their number one target.

"Ian was our leading candidate,” he said, “there was a great amount of interest in the job here.

"I think we have made a fantastic appointment and I am delighted he’s the new manager of Raith Rovers.”

Murray said he is keen to get down to work and will look to strengthen his new squad over the summer.

"No team is the finished article,” he says.

"The greatest teams in the world are looking to improve every season, we're exactly the same.

"The one thing that hurt Raith Rovers last season was the amount of draws they had in games.

"It happens. It's hard to win football games. If we could all win them we'd all be top of the league.

"We look to improve our firepower going forward.

"I like to play attacking football but you also need to be really solid at the back with a work ethic that no other team can match.

"We hope to bring in one or two new faces. I don't think the squad needs ripped apart or a big rebuild job.

"I think we've got some really good players here.

"I'll look at the loan market which is vitally important. I've built good connections over the last three and half years so that's a market we'll certainly be looking into.

The new boss’s immediate aim is to build his new environment quickly at Stark’s Park, to get to know his players and for them to get to know him.

He said: "We don't have time to waste, we want to get to work as quickly as we can.

"We want to get the players bedded into the way that I work and hopefully they will come around to that.

"Every manager works in different ways. There's no right or wrong, you do what you think is best and make the decisions you think are best.

My first aim is to meet the players and let them know how we will be working this season and how we will work going forward in terms of our schedules and how we want to play football.”

He added: "The best place to do that is out on the football pitch."