KEY POINTS:
There's nowhere to go but up, says the Kiwi who quit Waikato to return to coaching in Britain.
"Ninth team in the world is not a position Wales should be in," said Warren Gatland. "One of my chief targets is to put the respect back into Welsh rugby."
Typically for a former All Black, nothing seems to daunt Gatland. Remind him that Wales open this year's Six Nations Championship at Twickenham where they haven't won for 20 years and he retorts:
"We have to go there and be as physical as we can. It might be a bloodbath. After that, we will see where we are at."
Gatland has already put together most of the key assistants he worked with during his highly successful spell with English Premiership club London Wasps.
In his time there, they won English Premiership titles and the Heineken Cup. Those around him, defence coach Shaun Edwards and skills coach Robert Howley, will now play important roles in his back-room team.
So how does Gatland assess the chances of a Welsh revival after they failed even to qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Cup?
"Why can't we go to Twickenham and get something out of it?" he asks.
"The Ospreys' [Welsh regional side] recent performance against Gloucester was one of the most comprehensive regional performances I have seen, so the players should travel to Twickenham with some confidence."
For Gatland, it will be a return to the championship after his time with Ireland in the 1990s.
"I am hugely excited about getting back into the Six Nations. You miss the buzz. There is a lot of pressure on performances and getting results.
"But this is an incredibly special tournament, I think it is the premier rugby tournament in the world. The history behind it is huge and there is nothing better than test match day in the Six Nations."
Gatland denies he has a point to prove after his unceremonious dumping by Ireland a few years ago.
"No, there is no unfinished business for me, not at all.
"Ten years on, I think I will be able to come into this tournament and make a difference to this team. It won't happen overnight but if we can see some progress we can do well. We have potentially some great athletes - big buggers which helps as well.
"But we need the confidence and self-belief that this team has the potential to do something special over the next few years."
Gatland will focus most attention on the lightweight pack. But if he can find power and aggression there, things could start to take off for Wales because they have the backs with pace to open up most defences.