Notts County have appointed Sven-Goran Eriksson's former assistant Hans Backe as their manager on a three-year deal.

County had been looking for a new manager since Ian McParland's departure by mutual consent earlier this month.

"The target is clear, we have to get promotion," said Backe. "I'm confident but it's hard work in League Two.

"They had a good start with 25 points and are in the top four. I think that start is a good grounding for the rest of the season."

And the new manager suggested that he will be looking to bolster his squad at the earliest opportunity.

"The squad is not that big," he told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"We probably need a few more players perhaps in January, but first of all I have to look at these players and see what they can do."

Director of football Eriksson said: "I have known him since the beginning of the 1980s and I know he is the right man for the job.

"I think we have the right man to take the project forward, so I am very happy. I know he's very good."

"He has huge experience of football in different countries and one year working with me in the Premier League at Manchester City," he continued.

"He had a session today with the other players and coaches and he will fit in no problem."

Swede Backe held talks with executive chairman Peter Trembling and Eriksson on Monday.

The 57-year-old will begin work immediately in his new role and will attend a club function on Tuesday evening.

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Backe was shortlisted to become the next head coach of Sweden and was Eriksson's number two with Mexico and Manchester City.

Asked about his relationship with Eriksson, Backe said: "I hope he brought me in because he likes to see attacking football.

"It depends a little what kind of players you have, of course, but that's the way I like to play football."

He has spent much of his managerial career in Scandinavia and has won four Danish titles with FC Copenhagen and Aalborg.

He has also had spells at Austrian side SV Salzburg and Greek club Panathinaikos, where he was in charge for only a handful of games before being sacked.

"I've been thinking about it and came to the conclusion that I prefer to be a club coach," Backe said yesterday.

"I have experience from the time in Mexico that you only have training every six weeks. You should never say never, but I'm more the type to be out on the field every day and affect things."

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