SAM RICKETTS says he will thrive on the pressure as he attempts to make a name for himself as a manager at Wrexham.

Former Wales international Ricketts, who was Wolves U16s lead coach, has been appointed as the new Reds boss on a three year deal.

It is his first managerial position and Ricketts, who won three promotions with three different clubs as a player, is tasked with ending Wrexham’s Football League exile.

Ricketts will oversee Wrexham’s 11th campaign in the fifth tier and the 36-year-old is driven on by a desire to be successful.

“I have got a hunger and desire that took me all the way from non-league all the way through to the Premier League and international football,” said Ricketts.

“That is what I will bring to my managerial career. I have thrived in the pressure of first team football, which is where I feel comfortable.

“It is a pressure which I embrace, it brings the best out of people. Some people don’t like that, they like to coast through life.

“I am not a coaster and I don’t want coasters with me. I want winners, people who want to achieve something, people who will go the extra mile both on and off the pitch.”

Ricketts added: “Behind the scenes the club have got that. It is not just a place people come to work but they are trying to do something for the club.

“They will go the extra mile to make this club successful, that’s what I need to do and that is what my players need to do.

“There is a big job but a great opportunity to do something very special.”

Ricketts was a vastly experienced defender who played for the likes of Oxford United, Swansea City, Hull City, Bolton Wanderers, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City, as well as winning 52 caps for his country, before hanging up his boots in November 2016 because of a knee injury.

Having cut his teeth as a coach, Ricketts is pleased Wrexham have shown “belief” in him by appointing him manager and he insists promotion is very much the aim in 2018-19.

“I am absolutely delighted to be here,” said Ricketts. “It is a fantastic opportunity for me and an honour to be at a club of Wrexham’s stature, especially my first role and the club to show belief in me.

“No-one wants to be in this league and I have come here to get promotion. It is far from going to be easy but I will be doing everything I possibly can to make that a possibility.

“There are structures to put in place for the immediate and long term future.

“The club has had such a topsy turvy time, more or less bad news after bad news for 10 years, longer than that.

“You want success, things going forward, so there needs to be bits put in place which will sustain success.

“It is not just get up and come back down, you want the club to thrive and go forward.”

Ricketts, who captained Wolves in both League One and the Championship, admits Wrexham had a lot of pulling power.

“Everything about the club,” said Ricketts. “The potential of the club and the fan-base of the club.

“For a club to be successful you need a fan-base and Wrexham certainly have that in abundance as well as the foundations in place at the club.

“I had to do my research on the club. Is the club stable? Yes it is. Are the foundations in place for the club to be successful? Yes.

“Now it is just a case of building and adding layers and layers onto all these foundations which people have worked incredibly hard to put in place to try and get this club back where everyone wants it to be.”

When asked whether he applied for the job or Wrexham approached him, Ricketts added: “A little bit of both.

“I know people at the club so it is something I have kept my eye on, even going back to last summer.

“I knew people who were coming in and understood how the club was being structured and what they were trying to do.

“It is a club with huge potential and it is a very attractive proposition.”