JASON Dodd says it's taking a while to sink in that he is the new manager of non-League Eastleigh.

After 16 years playing for a dozen different bosses in the red and white stripes of Southampton, he couldn't quite get his head around being called gaffer' for the first time on Monday night.

The 36-year-old, who has been promoted from head coach to replace Paul Doswell as manager, celebrated his first game in charge with a 1-0 extra time win over VT FC in the Hampshire Senior Cup on Tuesday.

Afterwards he admitted: "It feels a bit strange.

"We had a meeting last night and showed the players the horror show' against Bognor last Saturday (when Eastleigh lost 4-0).

"Denno (co-assistant manager Mark Dennis) kept saying gaffer' and it wasn't until about five minutes later that I realised it wasn't Dossie he was referring to, it was me!"

With Eastleigh precariously perched second to bottom of the Conference South going into tomorrow's game at title-chasing Bishop's Stortford, some would say Dodd deserves a medal for bravery for taking the job on.

But the reliable right-back was never one to flinch from a challenge and said: "The next four to six weeks look like being the most difficult of the season for us, but there is never an easy time to take over.

"Usually when there's a change of manager it's because the club's in trouble and I see this as a challenge.

"I've got a lot of good people here that I can turn to, but I've got the go-ahead to do things my own way.

"Dos has taken the club so far but he wants to take a different direction."

Full interview: See today's Daily Echo