North Queensland Fury recruit Karl Dodd is happy to have signed for a club with such an honest coach.

The former Wellington Phoenix defender said that Ferguson told him exactly was required to win a contract at the new club prior to a recent trial match.

"The gaffer (Ferguson) told me what he expected in a centre-half, which was good," the 28-year old said.

"Sometimes you go into a trial match and you don't know what the coach wants, but he told me what he wanted. It was just a matter of keeping it simple.

"We're centre halves, not midfielders. It was just about winning headers, tackling and shifting the ball quickly and we did that. They only had a couple of shots for the whole game.

"He was happy and he signed me.

"Players respect that more because we know where we stand and what to expect. I think it will bring out the best in me."