Graham Gooch will not be content with only helping his beloved Essex to a more successful future - he also wants to play a part in ensuring England become a major force.

The new Essex head coach, appointed at the beginning of the month, made this clear while putting forward his vision of what his role entails.

"I see my job not only as bringing success to Essex County Cricket Club on the field, but also producing players who have the ability to play for England," he said.

"At the moment we have the captain of England in Nasser Hussain, while Paul Grayson and James Foster have just been in Zimbabwe with the one-day squad. The county are proud of them.

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"Additionally, it can make it easier for the club to attract players who, for one reason or another, might wish to switch counties.

"If they see Essex are successful in both the domestic field and also providing cricketers for England, then there is plenty of incentive for them to come here because they see we are an attractive proposition."

But Gooch, who won more than 100 Test caps for England, admits he and his staff have a massive task to turn the county into a real force again.

"Things are not going to happen overnight," he said. "It's going to take time because we need to build the whole outlook of the cluband gain respect again. We need to bring in players to assist us in that ideal as well as making the players we have perform better.

"It would obviously be disappointing to build a side that could only survive one season in the top division, as was the case last season. Once we achieve promotion, we have to try and make sure we build upon it.

"In the 80s and 90s when we were successful, we were perhaps fortunate that we had senior players who had come through the 70s together and were able to blend in with a gradual influx of young players.

"To create any decent team spirit and backbone of the side, the ideal mix is youth and experience. It should be a continuing process with a gradual turnover."

Gooch is currently confronted with the task of trying to bring in new faces for next season - but admits it is not an easy one.

"When you are winning things, players want to come. But at the moment it is difficult to attract them because we are going through a transitional state."

But the new head coach remains upbeat about the future and has wasted no time forming plans.

"Rather than have the old system of years ago when players at the end of the season would say 'Cheerio, see you in April', we are setting up a proper development plan that embraces the winter months," he said.

"It will review the previous season, outline what needs to be done on fitness, preparation and the technical side of a player's game.

"We will be making arrangements where young players can gain practical experience overseas before our domestic programme starts.

"I firmly believe we need to monitor players for 12 months of the year. They, after all, are our assets and they can rest assured we'll give them every encouragement to make the best use of their abilities."