Seasoned first-class coach Vaughn Johnson has been appointed on a two-year contract and will take over the reins from Mike Hesson.
In many respects, Johnson was the obvious choice. He has tons of experience, he was born and bred in Dunedin and he is passionate about the province.
The only problem - he was not interested and did not bother applying for the job. It took a call from Otago cricket and a chat with the association's top brass last week to convince him otherwise.
"I really wasn't thinking about getting back involved at first-class level," he told the Otago Daily Times.
"But, I suppose, it is safe to say I got excited after we'd finished our talk. I've had five years away from first-class cricket and I'm feeling revived and re-energised. I'm looking forward to being alongside a successful team, like Otago has been.
"If it had been any other side in New Zealand I probably would not have come back. But because it is Otago, and I'm a passionate Otago person, then it felt right to come back."
Johnson's resume is well known in the province. He played 27 first-class matches for Otago between 1984 and 1991. The medium pacer claimed 64 wickets at an average of 35.98. He also played 20 one-day games during that period.
It is a relatively modest record which pales in comparison to his coaching record. Johnson coached Otago for two seasons from 1995 to 1997 and had some success, guiding the team to the final of the first-class competition.
But it was during a six-year stint with Wellington where he made his mark. Under his leadership Wellington captured two first-class titles (2000-01 and 2003-04), beat Canterbury in the final of the one-day tournament in February 2002 and won four Cricket Max titles.
From 2007 to 2010, Johnson worked as a specialist bowling coaching for New Zealand Cricket and went to India with Otago for the 2009 Champions League twenty/20 tournament as Hesson's assistant.
Last summer, he filled in for Hesson for a couple of games but had no intention of returning to the role fulltime. Johnson established a cricket academy in the city about five months ago and has been working on building up the business. He plans to continue working in the venture but acknowledged he "probably won't be as hands on".
"I think Mike and his management team have done a great job with this team and getting to where they are today. So I suppose the big thing for me is to add something to what they have already achieved.
"I just want to come in with some fresh ideas in terms of what we need to become a winning unit."
Johnson said Otago had made good progress in the four-day game and was now competitive in all forms of the game. Most of the work has been done, in that respect.
"Maybe we just need to find an extra 10% from some of the players," he said.
"Most of them have achieved at this level but it's my job to try and get a little bit of improvement from everybody."
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes said he was delighted Johnson had agreed to return.
"The best endorsement we have for VJ was from the senior group of players ... their endorsement was unquestioned," Dykes said.
The fact he is an "Otago man" did not hurt and his record of success was also an important factor.
Johnson will begin on July 1 with Hesson believed to be still in the running for a role within New Zealand Cricket.
Otago Volts coach
Vaughn Johnson
• Age: 50
• Born: September 2, 1960, Dunedin
• First-class record: 27 games, 64 wickets at 35.98, 176 runs at 10.35
• One-day record: 20 games, 21 wickets at 31.38. 41 runs at 4.10
• Coaching roles: Otago 1995-97, Wellington 2000-06, New Zealand bowling coach 2007-10.
