DECLAN KIDNEY's persona won't change with his forthcoming incarnation as Ireland coach and, as ever, he will bring a sense of humanity to the role.
For example, when asked yesterday if he was in any way intimidated by assuming his new portfolio, he admitted disarmingly, and to general laughter, "Yes".
Pausing deliberately, he then offered an insight into the onerous sense of responsibility he will bring to the job.
"You'd have to be - coaching a national side with the way sport is now, and there's so much emotion in the whole thing, and you see the kids wearing the jerseys around the place and knowing that you have the onus to try and represent them the best way you can.
"If I stopped to think about it, yes, so the trick is not to stop, just to keep going. Thanks for the question, but the answer is yes. That's the challenge."
Continuing in the same vein, he explained why he was always going to take the job if asked.
"It's what I said to the players yesterday. If one of the players came up to me and said, 'Look, I've been offered the chance to play for Ireland, but I think I'll stay put,' I'd say, 'You will in your . . . ear. Off you go. You have to challenge yourself at the highest level.'
"That's where I've been lucky enough to be offered that and I suppose that's where I put myself."
And as he also put it, "I'd imagine there's probably 15 better jobs than coaching the national team - and that's playing for it".
Asked was it a difficult decision, Kidney said, "Yes and no. It's yes because I have a great job; no because it's such a huge honour. Yes, this is a very good job, but no, there's no higher honour than training your country".
In granting an audience to the media yesterday in Cork, his sole rationale was to get such matters over and done with so as to fully focus on Munster's final Magners League game and the two-week run-in to the Heineken European Cup final.
Confirmation that Nigel Owens of Wales had been appointed referee for Cardiff, having officiated at their quarter-final and semi-final (when the penalty counts went significantly against them) will, incidentally, only have added to Munster supporters' unease.
Kidney acknowledged there would be less day-to-day involvement in annual 10- or 11-match Test itineraries.
Questions about the composition of the Ireland back-room team were ruled off limits, and even though the positions of manager and forwards coach look all but filled, he maintained, "It's going to take time to do it, but it's important that it has as little effect as possible on the final".
True to character, Kidney played a straight bat to the question of whether he would or would not be accompanying the Ireland squad to New Zealand and Australia in a watching brief.
"All that I know for definite is that I'll be phoning the physio afterwards to see who I can play on Saturday and then with a view to the match two weeks after that. That's definitely my focus.
"Having been in finals where we've lost before, I can't afford to let anything deflect from that. Any contribution I can make toward the tour will be to help Munster to succeed in the final, because I think the players will be in a better state if they go off knowing they gave everything in that final."
Reflecting on his two terms, of four and three years, as Munster head coach, Kidney declined to single out the 2006 European Cup final win over Biarritz in Cardiff, instead maintaining, "No, I think every day really. I've been lucky in my whole career to date. I've worked with smashing people, and the dressing-room is always a special place to be after a lot of great occasions".
Citing his time alongside Bart Fannin with the Ireland under-19s, Keith Patten with the Ireland schools, Niall O'Donovan and Harry Williams with the Ireland As, Kidney ventured, "The backroom team in Munster is every bit as good as the team that's out on the pitch. Usually one is a reflection on the other. My contribution is just a small part of what goes on behind".
Although his modesty may be wrongly interpreted as false in an age obsessed with celebrity, under Kidney an attempt will be made to ensure the players henceforth become the focus of attention.
Shifting uneasily in his chair when bombarded with a barrage of compliments and asked whether he could win over an Irish rugby public somewhat disenchanted by recent defeats, Kidney maintained, "I've never actually tried to do that; all I've ever tried to do is help the players I work with to be the best they can be on any given day.
"I won't be scoring any tries and I definitely won't be making any tackles.
"I do honestly believe the role can be overstated because it's the players who play the game and the people I have with me who will probably do most of the work."
Considering the way Kidney was frozen out of the Ireland set-up by the end of the 2003-2004 season, he was generous in paying tribute to Eddie O'Sullivan.
"Eddie should be congratulated on winning three Triple Crowns in six years; that's quite an achievement," he said.
Be that as it may, Ireland's fall to eighth in the world rankings leaves them perilously placed just above the threshold for a second-tier seeding when the World Cup draw is made in December.
Following the summer Tests away to New Zealand and Australia, fittingly Kidney's first game in charge of Ireland will be against Canada at Thomond Park before the All Blacks and Argentina visit Croke Park.
"Obviously the seedings have an effect on the Rugby World Cup," he admitted. "That's the biggest single thing about the ranking and it's important for that reason to get them as high as possible.
"But once you get close to a game you just have to focus in on who you're playing.
"The fixture list is a challenging one and a daunting one, but I think if you ask any players who would they like to be playing, they'd like to be playing these (big) teams."
And as ever with this coach, where possible, negatives will be turned into positives.