Mike Flynn will hold talks over his future with Newport County next week – regardless of whether or not they are still in the Football League.
The caretaker boss wants to remain in charge at the club, even if the worst happens and they are relegated from League Two on Saturday night.
But Flynn – who has masterminded an improbable great escape that has titled the odds very much in Newport’s favour over Hartlepool – insists he wants the job full-time, whatever level the club find themselves in next season.
Ahead of Saturday’s vital final home game against Notts County, he said: “Of course, I would love to stay in charge.
“Managing is where I see my future. I’ve been lucky to do my UEFA pro licence with so many good people at Dragon Park and it’s helped me mature as a coach and a person. I’m ready and I just hope the board are.
“I will sit down with the board after the game on Saturday, I always planned to do that regardless of what happens.
“We’ll do that and the club needs stability. I really think we can build on staying up, but let’s get that out of the way this weekend.”
Flynn could not have done much a better job of inking in the blanks on a bare CV than the compelling evidence he has collected in the last few weeks.
Cast adrift and in a chaotic state after parting company with Graham Westley two months ago, County’s chances of extending their four-year stay in the Football League looked remote.
But since taking charge, Flynn has overseen an astonishing tournaround that has seen his team go from 11 points behind the safety mark to two points ahead of Hartlepool with the final weekend looming.
A sell-out crowd of 7,500 is expected at Rodney Parade on Saturday, which would be a record attendance for County at the ground.
Flynn added: “I’m either going to be the person that came back and saved the club or I’m going to be the one that took the club down.
“I knew what the job entailed when I took over. If I wanted an easy option I could have let someone else do it and if the worst happened I could have got the job in the summer.
“But that’s not what I’m about. I believed I could help Newport County.
“I’d do anything to help this club and I’m sure we’ll stay up.
“I’m very positive. The boys have been fantastic since the day I’ve been here and we’re thinking positive. We’ll have a look come 8pm on Saturday to see where we are.
“We were dead and buried when I took over but the players have been fantastic and I can’t praise them enough.
“Would I have settled for this two months ago? One hundred per cent. Realistically, I wanted to go into the last day with something to fight for and we’ve put ourselves in a better position that that because we’ve got the two points clear.
“I’d have liked it to have been four points but that’s football and nothing’s simple with Newport County.”
Alex Samuel, the striker on loan from Swansea City, is definitely out of contention after suffering a hamstring injury last week against Carlisle.
“We’ve got near enough a full squad to choose from,” said Flynn.
“We’ll wait and see on one or two of them – Mitch Rose missed last week. But Alex Samuel is out, which is a big miss for us.
“Even though he hasn’t scored enough, his energy and his work rate is phenomenal and it went through the team.
“But it gives someone else a chance to write the headlines and become the hero and we might have one or two things up our sleeve.”
Striker Lenell John-Lewis is in contention to start after making his first appearance of the season off the bench at Carlisle.
Marlon Jackson and Jaanai Gordon could also come into contention and Mark Randall is expected to be fit but Ben Tozer and Jamie Turley are unlikely to feature.