Iain Dowie was, as the week began, effectively a man of leisure. His job as a pundit for Sky Sports was engaging and afforded him abundant time to indulge in his pastimes. The 45-year-old’s life was relaxed, rose-coloured.

That changed abruptly on Wednesday. Hull City had won just one of their past 13 Premier League matches and were freefalling towards relegation. Not even Phil Brown, a man who mortared himself into the sanctuary of Tigers legends by leading them into the English top tier for the first time in 2008, could survive such depletion. He was sacked.

Former England coach Terry Venables, along with recent Premier League managers Mark Hughes, Gary Megson and Alan Curbishley, were all touted as Brown’s successor. Not one was keen to drink from what was widely considered a poisoned chalice.

From his office at the KC Stadium, chairman Adam Pearson knew a man who wouldn’t shirk the challenge. He picked up the phone. Iain Dowie, who was ironically at a charity lunch with Brown at the time, answered the call. The England-born former Northern Ireland forward needed no persuasion to agree to talks later that day. They didn’t last long.

We wanted someone who is desperate to be the manager of this club, which Iain is. We've a manager who understands about survival battles. We've picked a specific man for a specific job.
Hull City chairman Adam Pearson on the appointment of Iain Dowie

Dowie, who had previously managed Oldham Athletic, Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Coventry City and Queens Park Rangers, and most recently acted as Alan Shearer’s assistant when Newcastle United succumbed to Premier League relegation on the final day of the 2008/09 season, was thirsty to return to the dugout. It mattered not that Hull were second-bottom, three points adrift of safety, and confidence-deficient.

“I understand fans want big names and we'd all like to see Jose Mourinho here,” said Pearson upon handing Dowie a contract until the end of the season. “But Jose probably doesn't want to walk out of that tunnel. We wanted a manager who would interact with the players straight away, make tweaks to change unlucky defeats into points.

“We wanted someone with a point to prove and who is desperate to be the manager of this club, which Iain is. We've a manager who understands about survival battles. We've picked a specific man for a specific job. He’s been brave enough to come off Sky and put his reputation on the line for nine games and try to turn around a situation that doesn't look too bright at the minute.”

The Hatfield native has long been characterised by courage. Dowie was ridiculed when, as a teenager, he revealed he wanted to achieve a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering. He not only realised that goal but he also held a post at British Aerospace in the process.

He was scoffed at when, as a 23-year-old playing non-league football, he disclosed his intention to turn pro. Not only did he fulfil that ambition, but he spent the most of ensuing career in England's top tier. Thereafter, stylistically, he was renowned for propelling his body in the way of clearances and his head in the way of hurtling studs.

Vacating his bed of roses for a cauldron of pressure was never going to require a second thought. “It would be easier to stay at Sky,” he said. “But I like coaching, I like the game and, when my father was alive, we spent hours talking football because we are a football family.

It would have been easier for me to stay at Sky, but there's nothing like being a coach. I'm coming to a working class town that has a ferocious fanbase. We have to keep this club in the Premier League.
Iain Dowie on assuming the Hull City reins

“I love being out on the field. I love to improve players and that is very rewarding. My favourite time is when I'm on the training ground - that's what I love to do. The buzz of preparing things, of organising, seeing improvement in players, seeing a plan come together. It’s being on your feet, being on the sharp end - there's nothing like being a coach.”

First up for Dowie is a trip to basement side Portsmouth on Saturday. But despite the hosts’ own, decidedly worse predicament – they are rock bottom, 17 points adrift of safety and effectively down – the statistics do not lean towards an away victory: Hull have won only six of their previous 51 leagues games and, moreover, failed to triumph on the road all season.

“It will be a huge game,” said the former Luton Town, Southampton and West Ham United player. “It’s the first step on the road to staying in the Premier League. We've got nine great games - five at home and four away - and some games with people in and around us. We want to get to a position where destiny is in our own hands."

“We know it's a difficult situation. It's a huge challenge but one that I can embrace. I'm coming to a working class town that has a ferocious fanbase that needs a team representative of that ferocity and tenacious spirit. We have to keep this club in the Premier League.”