Huddersfield Town head coach Andre Breitenreiter has spoken of his eagerness to “develop something” at his new club as he takes over the reins at the Championship outfit. The German was appointed as the Terriers’ new boss at the back end of last week, and started in his role on Tuesday after completing the VISA process.

The 50-year-old is embarking on the seventh managerial role of his career with the Terriers, and is set to take charge of his first match at Watford on Saturday. The new head coach has expressed a desire to get the club promoted into the Premier League in time, but acknowledged that Town’s immediate task is to avoid relegation from the Championship this season.

“I had a clear idea for my future role, and I had many offers, but for me always, it’s really important to be able to develop something with a team, with a club, with players, and then to achieve this when you have a good vision,” Breitenreiter said at his first press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Read more: How Andre Breitenreiter went from fourth tier German football to Huddersfield Town’s big hope

“We had a really good first Zoom meeting, with the sport director Mark Cartwright, and I felt really, really good after this Zoom meeting, and after this we spoke to the CEO Jake Edwards and owner Mr (Kevin) Nagle about realistic goals for the future. I felt really, really good that I could work very closely in this [combination], and this is the reason why I am here.

“We spoke about these visions, and this is what I like. I’d like to train in the Premier League maybe as quick as possible, but it would be crazy to speak now about the Premier League. I’m realistic, so the highest priority now is to stay in the league, and it needs really hard, hard work.

“When we achieve this goal, then we can speak from the summer for new goals maybe to take the next step. This is the vision, but we have to concentrate now for this situation, but I’m here to go to the Premier League in many years, that’s my goal.”

Breitenreiter inherits a side who sit 20th in the division, two points above the relegation zone with 13 matches of the season left to play. The Terriers showed signs of improvement under caretaker boss Jon Worthington in their recent matches, winning two of their past four games, and the new head coach expressed confidence that his side will be able to avoid the drop.

“I know what is necessary to have success. I think for any organisation, the key to success is to give every time your best,” he added.

“In my opinion, I felt the first few days that everyone is really highly motivated, thinking positive. When you watch the last games of the last few weeks under the interim coach Jon and his staff, they did really, really good. The players are thinking positive now, they believe in this, what we want to do.

“The way is there, and we want to go this way further, and put in some new things, some details, because the team has really high potential to stay in the league. I’m very positive it’s really possible, and I’m sure that we stay in the league this year.

“It’s dangerous really, two points, we know about this hard work we need, but I believe in this team and in these talented players. We go to Watford for the first step, and we’ll give our best.”