Struber 'a realist not a dreamer'

Gerhard Struber had Cologne second in Germany's second tier when he was sacked

New Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber has high expectations but says he is "not a dreamer".

The Austrian has signed a three-year contract to become the Robins' head coach, replacing Liam Manning, who joined Norwich earlier this month.

Manning led City to the Championship play-offs last season where they lost 6-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals to Sheffield United.

"I am not a dreamer, I am a realistic man, but of course my goals are very high," said Struber.

"We have the right energy, a good plan, and we will work very hard, but also you need a bit of luck and momentum. But we are ready for the next step."

Bristol is the largest city in England yet to host Premier League football and, despite them reaching the play-offs, Struber knows the challenge that is ahead of him.

He said: "I can feel the Premier League is very near but last season shows us how hard it is to get promoted - we should not be thinking about what is to come but work hard.

"To speak about what could come is for other people, not me or my staff."

The 48-year-old arrives at Ashton Gate with a reputation for playing a style of high pressing, intense football while developing young players and integrating them into the first team.

"The style of play helps a lot, the last few years the club has grown in a good direction and the style of play they have created is a good fit with me and this can be a very good match," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"This is a mission for myself to bring and integrate young players into the first team but at the same time they have to deliver - it's not a romantic plan, they have to do it in the right way.

"At the same time we want to create results and this is where I have experience in integrating young players and the goal is to bring the group further - we are very ambitious to do it in the right way."

With strong investment in the club's academy, Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown says any new head coach had to fit in with their policy of developing players and how they recruit them.

"We have the same process of recruiting managers as we do with players - you'll be thinking who could be next in line because you never know what might happen," he said.

"Gerhard was right towards the top of that list with his stats, knowledge and how he fits with the squad.

"The academy is an important part of the club, we're not shy about wanting to develop players as well as have success on the pitch - you can see from his different jobs it's a passion for Gerhard as well."

'When England called I jumped'

The former Barnsley and New York Red Bulls head coach was sacked from his previous job at Cologne in May despite having the club second in the German second tier, and they went on to clinch the title and promotion back to the Bundesliga.

Struber has been out of work for just under two months and was not planning an immediate return to the technical area before this opportunity arose.

"At the time it was painful," he said. "But as a head coach things happen and it surprised me but you have to accept it - when I left Cologne I wanted a break but when England is calling and Bristol City are calling you have good conversations and so I jumped.

"I have a great chance with this team to make the next step."

The new boss will welcome back players for pre-season on Wednesday, 25 June and is relishing the chance to return to English football after saving Barnsley from relegation to League One in 2020.

"In English football you can smell a special atmosphere in every stadium and there is a special quality in the Championship - it is the best second level in the world," he said.

"The tactics and coaching is a very high level so it's a big demand for me, my coaching staff and players to achieve our goals."