SINGAPORE -- At the start of the month, when Lion City Sailors were suddenly searching for a new coach following the abrupt departure of Jesús Casas, they might have been pinching themselves in disbelief as Mark Jackson became available just days later.
Last season, Jackson -- having only taken over in October -- led Buriram United to a treble of the Thai League 1, Thai FA Cup and ASEAN Club Championship. And it was not the first time he had pieced together a dominant campaign.
Back in 2023-24, he had led Central Coast Mariners to the A-League Men double of premiers and champions, while also tasted continental glory in the form of the AFC Cup (now AFC Champions League Two) for good measure.
For a Sailors outfit who have spent the last few seasons dominating Singaporean football but are now looking to make waves on the regional and continental stage, a coach of Jackson's calibre always seemed a perfect fit.
Although Jackson's arrival was announced a week ago, he had to watch on as LCS began the new Singapore Premier League campaign with a disappointing 2-2 draw away to Hougang United at the weekend with the club still awaiting final clearance for his appointment.
The paperwork was completed on Tuesday. In the evening, he promptly held his first training session as the new coach of LCS.
And it means that the Sailors' Jackson era will officially begin on Thursday, when they open their 2026-27 ACL Two campaign at home to opponents that Jackson will be very familiar with: Buriram's Thai League 1 rivals BG Pathum United.
"I feel honoured and privileged to be given the opportunity to lead this football club," Jackson told ESPN in a one-on-one interview. "To build on the success it's had in the past and help take the club forward as well, which is what the club wants to do.
"I was delighted to get on the training pitch yesterday when I got the all-clear with the work permit and the visa.
"I'm excited for the game [on Thursday] and to come into work every day really. I'm looking forward to it."
Although the details surrounding the reason behind his Buriram departure were initially murky at the time, Jackson has now disclosed that he was simply looking for a fresh challenge.
"Last year was very successful," Jackson said. "I had a great time in Buriram, met some fantastic people -- they're a great club.
"I was very privileged to have the opportunity there, and I think we went there and left the club and team in a good place. But I just felt I was ready for the next challenge.
"The success we had last year, and over in Australia [with Central Coast] as well, we had the success there. You don't always get opportunities to compete in such competitions, never mind win those competitions.
"So, to have two trebles under my belt, I feel very proud of myself for that -- but it's not only me [but] the group of players I worked with, the group of staff I worked with as well, because it's not just about me for sure.
"I'm really, really hungry for more. Playing in big games and competitions, playing at football clubs with such expectation, is what excites me as a coach. And I think if you speak to any head coach, they want to challenge themselves.
"This will be a challenge, but it will be an exciting challenge for me and I'm really looking forward to that."
For some time now, Buriram have arguably been the standard bearer for Southeast Asian football clubs competing at continental level -- having reached the AFC Champions League Elite Finals in the past two seasons. Malaysia Super League giants Johor Darul Ta'zim have also emerged as another to fly the flag for the region.
The Sailors featured in Asia's premier club competition twice between 2022 to 2024, even memorably notching victories over heavily-fancied opponents Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Daegu FC.
But a restructure in the continental club competition format means they have had to settle for the second-tier ACL Two in recent times, although they did remarkably well to reach the final back in 2025 before losing to Emirati powerhouses Sharjah in heartbreaking fashion.
LCS' big goal is undeniably to return to that stage, one that their new coach is well familiar with.
"Having spoken to the boss [chairman] Forrest [Li] and [technical director] Luka Lalić, it's clear the club wants to get there as quickly as possible," Jackson acknowledged.
"Coming and visiting the club and seeing the infrastructure, what they have here and the squad they've assembled as well, it's clear they have huge potential to get there.
"What they're probably missing is a little bit of consistency, a little bit of structure [and] organisation, and I feel -- in my way of leading and managing and coaching and implementing my ideas with a team -- that could work well together.
"I was very excited having spoken to Forrest and seeing his passion for the Sailors [and] his passion for football in Singapore as well.
"So, for me to be able to come to another country, embrace in that culture, integrate myself into that culture as well and help build a team, there's nothing better for a head coach.
"I've got the support around me to do that. It's about getting to work quickly, implementing our ideas and winning football matches. That's what we want to do and we want to play an entertaining brand of football as well.
"We want to play our style and I can't wait to get going."
Lifting multiple trophies in a single season very much remains on the cards for Jackson. After all, the Sailors have done the SPL and Singapore Cup double in the past two seasons.
Yet, if he is to continue on his treble-winning ways, the third will have to come on the bigger stage -- either regional or continental. And, after all, that is exactly what the Sailors have appointed him to achieve.