Former Norwich City player and coach Gary Holt admits it was a frustrating wait to get back into management for him.
The 38-year-old has been appointed manager of Scottish Premiership new boys Livingston on a one-year rolling contract, after Kenny Miller's short stint in charge as player-manager.
The former Scotland and Kilmarnock midfielder – who made 182 appearances for the Canaries between 2001 and 2005 – led Falkirk to the Scottish Championship play-offs in 2014 but rejoined Norwich as a coach after defeat to Hamilton.
After two years assisting first Neil Adams and then Alex Neil, Holt left in 2016 and has been searching for a return to management ever since.
'It's been frustrating the last for or five months trying to get a job,' he said. 'Whereas the first year I was kind of happy in what I was doing, finishing my Uefa Pro Licence and looking after different areas of my life.
'So it's been frustrating but I'm thankful now that I've got the chance to grab it with both hands and hopefully enhance what Livingston have achieved as a football club in the last couple of seasons.'
Holt was in the frame to take over from David Hopkin in the summer after the former Leeds midfielder stepped down weeks after sealing a second consecutive promotion for Livi.
Instead it was former Rangers striker Miller who got the job but it is Holt – nicknamed Three Lungs by Norwich fans during his playing days – who will be in the dugout for Saturday's trip to fellow promoted side St Mirren on Saturday.
'If you're looking from the outside in, everything that Livingston have achieved in the last few seasons, back-to-back promotions, the off-field stuff, it's gearing it towards the pinnacle in Scottish football,' Holt continued, speaking to Sky Sports.
'The age of the squad, the hunger, the desire when you look at them to play in games and then sitting talking to them and meeting the staff, it felt as if I'd been here a long time and was just natural.
'So I'm delighted to get the chance and hopefully we'll work well together and grow as a team.'
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