BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox said they were looking for a different voice in the clubhouse when they let Terry Francona walk after the worst September collapse in major league history. Enter Bobby Valentine.

Known for his confrontational style that rubbed some of his players the wrong way and for feuding with his bosses with the New York Mets, his last big league managing gig, Valentine formally interviewed for the Boston job on Monday when he met with general manager Ben Cherington and other members of the Red Sox brain trust.

“They have one of the best teams in baseball, one of the best organisations in baseball, one of the greatest venues in baseball, with a winning tradition over the last 10 years,” he said. “Other than that there’s really no reason why I want to be here.”

The Red Sox had originally interviewed Gene Lamont, Torey Lovullo, Dale Sveum, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Pete Mackanin. Sveum has been hired to manage the Chicago Cubs by former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein; Mackanin had been told he was no longer in the running, and Alomar got the same news on Monday.

Working against Alomar wasn’t a lack of managerial experience as much as the fact that none of his coaching experience had been in a dugout.