Darren Gough has challenged Yorkshire to "set an example" for others in the wake of the racism scandal which engulfed the club.
A report into racism at Headingley found that former player Azeem Rafiq had been "racially harassed and bullied" while the player himself went into detail about his experiences at a parliamentary committee. Among the changes made since was the decision to remove director of cricket Martyn Moxon and 15 other members of staff.
His interim replacement Gough has been in the role for the last four months and is set to stay until the end of the 2022 season. He has called upon the club to take the "once-in-a-generation" chance he believes it has been given to make a mark.
"To do this, I think is the biggest challenge," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Taking over when I have and under the circumstances. I'm doing this because I love it. The game, and sport in general, is under the spotlight. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to shape something that can be a leading light for every other county to follow."
One of the other new faces at the club since the scandal hit the headlines is Lord Patel, who took over from Roger Hutton as chairman. He was formally appointed to the board last month at the EGM meeting, which approved the changes required for Headingley to host international matches again.
Regarding Patel and the other decision-makers in the boardroom, Gough is convinced that the right people are there to help guide the club forward. "The people we have got in place are there because they 100% deserve that opportunity to have that job," he added.
"They are the right people for the job, for the right reasons and they've been the best in the interview process. One of the things I've always said about cricket – and I can say this from when I've been out of the game – is that it's a bit too 'matey'.
"You look around at the county system at other clubs and you look at people who are in certain jobs at certain clubs and they are in that job probably for the wrong reason. They're not in there because they are the right person for the job. We have got that opportunity now – because of what the club has been through – to set that example."
