SELIM Benachour has said he would want to be head coach of Oldham Athletic on a more permanent basis, given the opportunity.

The club's Academy manager was placed in interim charge of the first team following Keith Curle's departure last week.

There has not yet been any indication from owner Abdallah Lemsagam or his sporting director brother, Mo, about whether the search for Curle's successor has begun.

But while Benachour got off to a losing start, with a 2-0 defeat at Salford City, he is hoping he can do enough to impress the owner to give him the role full-time.

Asked if it was a job that he would want, the 40-year-old said: "Of course. I am ambitious and I would like to be a coach and I'm here until I am told (otherwise)."

Benachour, who has turned attentions to tomorrow night's Papa John's Trophy clash with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, added that he had not been given any indication as to how long he would be in the interim role.

"I don't know," he said. "They asked me to (step up) so I try to do my best to help them. I don't know for how long, I just focus on the team to change these negative vibes."

Curle's exit was the ninth time the Boundary Park hotseat has been vacated since Lemsagam completed his takeover of the club in January 2018, and second this calendar year, after Harry Kewell left the club in March.

A number of the current squad experienced last season's managerial departure, but Benachour said there had not been an adverse reaction to further change.

"That's football, one day you are here and then when you don't have results, this is football, so they knew it. They were feeling it. Football is like this," he said.

"When we change manager it's always a strange feeling. I see a dressing room that want to fight to stay in this league and I see good lads. They are focused on the job and they will work hard.

"We bring new ideas. I try to bring a new philosophy on the game, a new identity. It will take time but I think we will get it.

"It will take time to build. We need to clear our heads but I have faith in my players and we will succeed, I'm sure."

Benachour joined Latics' Academy 18 months ago. While he liaised with Curle about youth team prospects who were knocking on the door of the first team and ultimately made the breakthrough, including Harry Vaughan, Junior Luamba and Benny Couto, he has not previously been involved with the senior set-up.

And he said he learned a lot from his debut game in charge of the first team.

"Of course, it's my first game in League Two so it's different and I'm learning but I'm here to help," he said.