That is the view of new City Ground chairman Frank Clark after sealing a deal to take Cotterill from Portsmouth just days after his own return to the club.
He told the club's official website: "I'm really excited about the appointment.
"Steve was always at the top of the list and he fits the criteria that we set out when I first started looking at this with the board last week.
"He's enthusiastic, he's hungry, he's got a terrific CV and he's experienced at this level. He was everything we were looking for."