MARK HUGHES began life as a Manchester blue yesterday by declaring he could not wait forever for the chance to succeed Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.

Dismissing the theory that his ambition could only be satisfied by Manchester United or Chelsea, where senior executives had wanted the Welshman to replace Avram Grant, Hughes insisted City were no longer "a stepping stone" due to the financial might of Thaksin Shinawatra.

The billionaire City owner hopes to follow Hughes's acquisition with the Brazilian striker Jo from CSKA Moscow for €22 million and the former world footballer of the year Ronaldinho from Barcelona, on a salary estimated at a staggering €250,000 a week.

Thaksin will certainly be content with Hughes's first full day in office as, displaying the fierce drive and impatience for success that characterised the owner's treatment of Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former Blackburn Rovers manager insisted his revered past and possible future at Manchester United presented no bar to a successful career with their rivals.

"I can't wait around for opportunities which may be one, two, five, 10 years down the line. It's an impossibility," said Hughes, who will be joined at City by his Blackburn coaching team of Mark Bowen, Kevin Hitchcock and Eddie Niedzwiecki. "When opportunities present themselves, you have to take them. If you don't, you then regret them for the rest of your life. This opportunity is perfect for me."

Asked whether he had blown a possible position at United by accepting City's advances, on a three-year contract worth around €3.7 million a year, Hughes replied: "That's not my consideration. My consideration is to compete with the top teams in this league. I wanted to be at a club that would give me that opportunity. The opportunity is there for everybody to see here. I don't need any more stepping stones because this club could take me where I want to go."

The former Wales manager negotiated the move with City's new executive chairman, Garry Cook, who explained he will expand the club's global image while chief executive Alistair Mackintosh continues in his present role. He has spoken only briefly to Thaksin by telephone. Hughes talked repeatedly of the appeal of "building a club from within", as though the prospect of taking the baton from Ferguson held less incentive, but conceded there was an element of risk in leaving the comfort of Ewood Park for the mission at City.

Eriksson received a three-year plan from the former Thai prime minister: a top-10 finish in his first season, top six in the second and the Champions League in his third, yet was sacked after finishing ninth last term.

"I can't be afraid of making the leap into the unknown," admitted Hughes. "By what I have been told, I feel this club has the opportunity to move forward and be successful at a different level than it has for many years. I want to be part of that. That's why I have come here. I want to have expectation on me. At Blackburn, to a certain extent, I raised the expectation myself, and the team did that, by our performances.

"Here, at City, that expectation is always there. That's a huge thing for me."

Despite stressing the virtues of continuity, the new City manager did not seek assurances from Thaksin about his job security. "You can't ask a chairman: 'If I have poor results will you still keep me?' It's impossible to ask for those terms."

As for City's interest in the Brazilian duo, and his own influence on transfers, Hughes added: "It is exciting to be linked with the possibility of bringing those type of players here. But at the end of the day, it is a football decision, and football decisions will be taken by me."

Meanwhile, Manchester City captain Richard Dunne has admitted the arrival of Hughes as manager could tempt him to stay at Eastlands. The 28-year-old has been strongly linked with Tottenham and Portsmouth and was last week reported to be all set for a €6 million move to Fratton Park.

Eriksson's departure was thought to be a factor in the defender's discontent. But following yesterday's confirmation of the highly-rated Hughes's appointment as Eriksson's successor, Dunne admits he could be ready to stay ahead of a crucial meeting with the club's new executive chairman Garry Cook tomorrow.

Dunne told the Manchester Evening News: "It was disappointing that Sven had to leave, but in Mark Hughes we have got an exciting young manager who has done particularly well at Blackburn." Guardian Service