STEVE Coppell was lured back into football management by the challenge of leading Bristol City to the Premier League's promised land.

Unveiled as the long-term successor to Gary Johnson, the 54-year-old Liverpudlian spoke in terms of an "immense personal challenge" after signing a 12-month rolling contract, which commences on May 11.

Coppell's return to Championship management, after an absence of nearly a year, was confirmed at an Ashton Gate press conference and the former Reading boss admitted: "I'm both nervous and excited by the prospect of managing this club.

"I'm excited, because Bristol City have not been in the top flight for a very long time. People don't have that expectation and you are not going to have folk telling you that your team is not as good as the one five years ago. We said at Reading that we were making history and the challenge of getting Bristol City to the Premier League for the first time is the thing I find most appealing about this job.

"But I'm also nervous, because I know I will be judged from the moment the first ball is kicked next season. It's because I feel nervous that I know this is the right job."

Out of the game since resigning as manager of Reading at the end of last season, the former Manchester United and England winger opted to join City rather than wait for a bigger club to come in for him in the summer.

He said: "Not a lot of English managers land jobs in the Premier League and the best way for me to ply my trade in the top flight is to take on a club in the Championship and win promotion.

"I don't think I would be offered a job in the Premiership and I'm the sort of person who has to earn the right. I said before that my best chance of managing in the Premiership was by taking Reading there and it is the same now that I'm with Bristol City."

Coppell always intended returning to management but admitted he had been out of work for longer than anticipated.

He added: "I said from the start that I wanted to take a few months off, because I'd done nine years on the bounce and it is relentless.

"I did my three months and I thought to myself 'I'm ready to go back to work'. I was offered a couple of jobs, but decided to wait and, when the position here became available, there was something about it that appealed to me.

"There are a lot of similarities between Bristol City and Reading. They have a great catchment area here and, if you build a team, I think the people will come. The squad is good, the chairman is ambitious and there is a great foundation."

Keith Millen will work as Coppell's assistant and the new manager said he envisages "very little change" in the backroom staff.

He said: "I've never taken my own backroom team with me and I must have worked with 10 or 11 assistants down the years.

"All I can do is provide an environment. If people want to work then they will, if they don't, it will become obvious and they will move on."

Millen will remain in charge of first-team affairs for the final two games of the season, at home to Derby County tomorrow and at Blackpool on Sunday week. Coppell is flying to the United States on holiday this weekend and will not be present at either game.

Coppell intends to move to Bristol rather than commuting from his Surrey home.

He said: "I live in Ascot and it's too far to be driving every day. Football is my thing and I'll get a flat in Bristol and stay here. That is my commitment to the job."