By Paresh Soni

Talbot believes he can lift the gloom at the Kassam Stadium

Oxford owner Firoz Kassam is a man in a hurry for success - and new boss Brian Talbot believes he can deliver it.

Talbot was handed his third managerial job in little over a year earlier this month and was immediately told to achieve Championship football in two years.

Somewhat ambitious for a club which has become accustomed to mediocrity in League Two.

But Talbot is undaunted, telling BBC Sport: "Pressure is an overused word.

"If the club is going forward Mr Kassam will be pleased. I know he wants promotion but I've won the league at this level and know it quite well."

The former West Brom boss left his post at Rushden & Diamonds for Oldham in March 2004.

But it was a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire - swapping the financial problems and on-field struggles at Nene Park for Boundary Park.

It has hardly been a bed of roses at the Kassam Stadium either with Ian Atkins, Graham Rix and Ramon Diaz all departing in the past year.

Oxford have struggled in the lower divisions since falling from their lofty position of top-flight football 17 years ago and Kassam appears anxious to make up for lost time.

Things have been overlooked in the past which I can put right - players want to have direction Talbot on Oxford's problems

"I got a phone call to say he would be interested in meeting me. I went to meet him that evening and he offered me the job the next day," Talbot explained.

"Mr Kassam made up his mind quickly. He doesn't want to keep changing managers and is desperate for success.

"He's a very clever businessman but I think in the past he's made mistakes with appointments and is trying to get it right."

Far from playing down expectations, Talbot is happy to talk them up and he believes Kassam will give him the financial backing to meet them.

"They have a lovely stadium and immense crowd potential for this level," the 51-year-old explained.

"They have underachieved by playing at this level. They shouldn't be in League Two - they should be at least one level up.

"The chairman is keen for success and is prepared to spend on wages. We have to stop the negative vibes and there has to be stability at this club."

Striker Steve Basham is the type of English player Talbot wants

One of Talbot's first tasks was to sort out a venue for his players to train at - the club does not have a permanent training ground and will be using the facilities of two Oxford University colleges next season.

He also had to establish a scouting system because the club was relying on an internet service to monitor opponents.

The United manager then set about laying down some disciplinary guidelines for players who had been left dizzy by the whirl of managerial arrivals and exits.

"You have to wonder what advice the chairman was getting. Things have been overlooked in the past which I can put right," Talbot explained.

"Players want to have direction and want to know what's required of them, what's right and wrong. They like organisation.

"I've worked with Bobby Robson, Don Howe, Graham Taylor. They all had first-class qualities and I'd like to think if it was good enough for them it's good enough for me."

When Diaz and the rest of his Argentinian management team left, a plethora of foreign players also departed.

I haven't come here thinking I'm only going to be around for three to four months - I'm thinking I'll be here for quite a while Talbot on the future

Talbot believes the squad needs to have an English core to stand any chance of climbing out of League Two.

"No disrespect to them and I'm not being rude to Oxford but the foreigners you get at this level are not the best and are not from the best countries in the world," he said.

"You won't get a top French international playing in League Two.

"In a position like this you need people who can do a job and the people who know the job best at this level are English because they've been at this level all their lives."

So fans can expect plenty more comings and goings at the Kassam Stadium.

But Talbot insists he does not plan to head towards the exit door for a while yet.

"In the long-term it will be nice to get a team into the Championship, get the stadium finished and have our own training ground," the former Arsenal and England midfielder added.

"I would like to do what I did at Rushden & Diamonds - I developed the club and moved it forward. When I joined we were only training two nights a week.