MIKE Watkinson is still too disappointed about Lancashire's relegation to get over-excited about the challenges ahead.

The Lancashire cricket manager was hurt by the club's drop from the County Championship First Division just 12 months after they almost won the title.

"I'm still feeling a little bit of doom and gloom, but that will shake off," said Watkinson, who would much rather his side were challenging for the First Division title next season rather than promotion back to the top flight.

But there should be plenty to cheer up Bolton-born Watkinson before too long.

He is set to join up with Duncan Fletcher's England squad as a bowling coach for the second successive winter, and has developed a thriving Lancashire academy set-up with a conveyor belt of young talent hoping to follow in the footsteps of Andrew Flintoff and Sajid Mahmood.

With Mark Chilton replacing Warren Hegg as Lancashire captain, sights at Old Trafford are set on consigning last season to history.

"Mark's got a tremendous work ethic, and he's got a lot of passion," Watkinson said. "He gets his leg pulled about being an intellectual, having been to Durham University, but the players will want to play for him, and make his captaincy work."

Watkinson is hoping that Lancashire can make a fresh start next season after a hugely disappointing 2004 campaign.

"Lancashire is a county which expects a great deal from its team. We've got a duty to make sure the team perform to their capability, and give our membership and supporters the cricket they deserve to see.

"I don't see us as a team under pressure. There's a line in the sand after last season.

"There is a good infrastructure off the field. Over the last couple of years, the club have established a good culture of bringing through young players from the academy into the senior side.

"It's really up to me and the players to translate that into success on the field, to take us forward and help us recover from last season.

"The last few games of the season were a handful. We lost our form at the wrong time. But we know where we stand know, and we know the challenge that lies ahead."

And Watkinson will be fully prepared for that challenge come next April, with the added experience he will glean from joining England on their tour to South Africa this winter.

"It will be three weeks away with the England team, carrying a few balls around for them," Watkinson joked. "But I enjoyed working with Duncan Fletcher last year, and I'm looking forward to doing it again."