Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O'Neil feels he still needs to put credit in the bank with the club.
The head coach, who kept Bournemouth in the Premier League last season, arrived at Wolves four days before the new season started.
Replacing Julen Lopetegui, O'Neil was expected to struggle at a club that recruited badly in the summer.
"In an ideal world, you'd say 'give me ages, give me loads of money and I'll make this incredible for you'," O'Neil said on needing more time, per the Express and Star.
"But I understand I have to earn my time. Every weekend there's an exam paper and I need to get a certain mark in it to earn time.
"I'm working very hard to earn time. I'm happy with the group I have.
"The club lost some key players but we have a new breed coming through. They're young and talented and it's my job to get them ready to compete week in, week out in the Premier League.
"We're working hard on that and I understand my part in the equation. It's not just about giving me time, I need to make sure I earn it as well."