IT WAS the job title that caused a stir among City fans.

When the club announced Simon Grayson as Stuart McCall’s successor on Sunday lunchtime, he was confirmed as the new manager.

Not head coach, as owners Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp had talked about on their Matter of Heart DVD, but manager.

Instead of heading down the German route of demarcation of roles, it appeared to be a step back towards the traditional English approach – the “omnipotent” rule that Rupp had talked of phasing out in the documentary.

But Grayson insists there is nothing in the name. He intends to work no differently at Valley Parade than he has done, with considerable success, at his previous clubs.

“People will pick up on little things like me being manager and not head coach,” he said. “But I coach as well as manage, I do all my work on the training pitch.

“I am fully integrated into everything. It makes no difference with titles.

“Ultimately, you have an owner who has opinions. There is a head of recruitment and chief scout who you value the opinion of and then the manager works with them.

“You have these three things at all clubs. It is only called a ‘European model’ because there are European owners here.

“This model has been going for years. Clubs have had owners, chief scout and managers for as long as I can remember.

“People try to make a bigger thing of it than it should be.”

Grayson admits the last few days have been a “whirlwind” as he took charge of the 1-1 draw at Charlton just 48 hours after being unveiled.

The players have been given a day off today as well as the free weekend while scheduled opponents Wigan are on FA Cup duty against Manchester City.

But the new boss is clearly relishing his return to the game after a four-month absence since being sacked by Sunderland.

He added: "Sunderland is something I look back on and don’t have any regrets.

“People can still see the problems that football club has got. I don’t come out scarred or anything like that.

“For the last few months I have been watching games and different sports with the coaches, like Brian McDermott recently with the (Leeds) Rhinos.

“I have had four or five offers home and abroad and been considered for one or two other jobs.

“But I never felt the ones I was offered were the right ones to take.

“You only have to see from the outside of this football club, the attraction of coming here. To get 19,000 on a regular basis, an ex-Premier League club and one that are still in the top six of League One.

“It was all about being at the right time and the right place and this attracted me for many reasons.

“The key now is to tweak a little bit and restore some confidence. One thing that is clear is the team have to be harder to play against.

“You can't be in the top six, as we are, and have a minus goal difference.”