New Brentford manager Mark Warburton admits it's a massive risk taking the plunge into management.
The 54-year-old gave up his role as sporting director to answer owner Matthew Benham's call to become Uwe Rosler's successor.
Warburton has agreed to take charge until the end of the season at least, while former Liverpool academy chief Frank McParland will fill his old role.
Fourteen managers have already been axed in the first four months of the campaign, and NextGen founder Warburton is fully aware of the risks involved.
He said: "The safe option was to turn it down and remain sporting director. If the manager gets sacked then I would have to provide a few candidates and the job would go on.
"But you only live once. If you're passionate about doing something you can't pass up this kind of opportunity, even though my wife thinks I'm insane!
"We have a new stadium on the way, so it would be great to be part of that. If I screw it up and get it wrong then I'm in the firing line but hopefully I've taken a calculated risk."
Warburton arrived at Griffin Park in 2011 after Andy Scott got sacked, helping steer the Bees to safety alongside caretaker Nicky Forster.
However, he was overlooked for the manager's job that summer in favour of Rosler, before becoming the sporting director after a restructure of the club.
And the former Watford coach admits it came as a bolt out of the blue when Benham asked him to take the reins.
"It's common knowledge that I applied for the job two-and-a-half years ago, and at the time I was annoyed I didn't get it," Warburton said.
"When Uwe left people suggested I should go for it, but I had reservations because if it happened again it would've left a really sour taste in my mouth. That was my gut feeling.
"So I was surprised and shocked when Matthew told me on Sunday because I had already drawn up a shortlist of applicants that I had been speaking to.
"I'm sure some people are sceptical but hopefully I can show them what I can do."
Warburton hopes to continue where Rosler left off after guiding the Bees up to fourth in the table, starting against Oldham Athletic on Saturday.
But he hopes to put his own stamp on the side he's inherited, adding: "There's many things that Uwe and the team have done that are successful, so why change that?
"I'll look to put a fingertip on a few areas and continue to build. There will be one or two changes at the game on Saturday and we'll go from there."
