HURN Bridge will be the first port of call for former England and Arsenal star Graham Rix as head coach of AFC Portchester.

Rix is expected to be in the dugout for Portchester’s visit to Wessex Premier Division high-fliers Christchurch tomorrow (3pm).

The shock appointment of 55-year-old Rix, who was capped 17 times by his country between 1980 and 1984, was announced earlier this week.

Rix managed Portsmouth in the 2001-02 season after joining the Hampshire club from Chelsea where he was an assistant to Ruud Gullit and Gianluca Vialli.

“I’m doing nothing at the moment and I know Louis Bell (Portchester’s new interim manager) from my time at Portsmouth. He came and asked me to help and that’s what I am doing,” Rix told The News (Portsmouth).

Until December, Rix was the manager of Trinidad and Tobago side Central FC.

Not surprisingly, Priory boss Graham Kemp has predicted a more difficult task than first anticipated against their 12th-placed opponents.

“You don’t bring in someone like Graham Rix, unless you have big plans,” said Kemp, whose title-chasing side won 4-3 at Portchester in December.

“They were a decent side when we met earlier in the season, but with Rix on board they are going to be even harder to beat.”