Darren Murphy says the opportunity to experience summer football was a major factor on him agreeing to join Finn Harps.
Murphy will be assistant to Harps boss Dave Rogers at the League of Ireland First Division club.
Finn Harps were relegated last season, with former manager Ollie Horgan stepping down shortly after.
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Murphy is relishing the new challenge at Ballybofey, saying the reason why he completed his pro licence was to experience new things in the game.
And one of them as far as the League of Ireland is concerned is summer football.
"The big thing for me was summer football," the former Dungannon Swifts boss told BBC Sportsound.
"There has been a lot of talk in the Irish League over the last few years but we haven't had anyone from the Irish League sample that.
"We look from afar and everyone says it's this and it's that.
"I'm actually going to live and breathe it over the next season, it will give me a real insight into what summer football is.
"Being a pro licence coach you want to experience things, that's why you do it.
"I did my pro licence about six years ago and I always had aspirations of doing something outside of Irish League football.
"It was going to take something to really tempt me.
"A lot of players and coaches from the League of Ireland come up to the Irish League and do well, but there's not too many have gone the other way.
"You look at Roy Coyle going to Derry City and Gerard Lyttle going to Sligo, but there's not too many who have taken that chance.
"I've known Dave for 15 years and when he came on to me and said there was a four-year full-time deal for me that definitely got me thinking.
"I've been up there for two weeks now and I have to say I've been well received, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge."
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