MLB

THE WELCOME MATT FOR DON

TAMPA – Don Mattingly’s day started at 10 o’clock in the morning and he walked out of the Yankees’ minor league complex at 7 p.m. Throughout the marathon interview process that included an hour talking with the Steinbrenner III at Legends Field, Mattingly stayed with the same refrain: He very seriously wants to follow Joe Torre as the Yankees’ manager and isn’t awed by the daunting task.

He doesn’t care that people harp on his inexperience. Nor does it matter to him that a reputation as one of the most popular Yankees ever could be soiled by criticism or failure. And he is up to the challenge of replacing a man he recently linked to John Wooden.

“From the time I took the hitting (coach) job, that’s what I wanted to do,” Mattingly said of managing. Away from the game since retiring after the 1995 season, Mattingly resurfaced as the hitting coach in 2004. “I paid attention to everything. I wouldn’t have come back just to do hitting. I knew from the beginning what I wanted.”

Mattingly, 46, was the second candidate to be interviewed. Joe Girardi led off Monday and Tony Pena goes today. Those are the only three candidates to follow Torre, who declined a one-year deal worth $5 million and $3 million in incentives last week.

Mattingly met with GM Brian Cashman and his bevy of personnel in the morning at the complex. That was followed by an hour meeting with George, Hank and Hal Steinbrenner at Legends Field. A quick conference call with the media proceeded two more hours at the minor league complex.

In the first two sessions, Mattingly said his lack of experience – he has never managed at any level – didn’t surface.

“For me it’s not an issue,” Mattingly said. “In my mind I have been managing for four years and you do it as a player, too.”

Out of respect for Torre, Mattingly stayed out of the spotlight. Yet, when Torre’s situation was resolved, Mattingly knew what was ahead.

“As soon as the decision was made that’s when I knew what I wanted to do,” Mattingly said.

With Pena interviewing today and no other candidates listed, the Yankees could move swiftly in the decision-making process although MLB generally frowns on teams making big announcements during the World Series.

Thanks to a brilliant 14-year career in pinstripes, Mattingly is revered by Yankee fans. Yet, he understands how fickle New York can be and he insists he won’t be unnerved by it.

“Not at all, absolutely not,” Mattingly said when asked if he was worried that his legacy would be damaged if he fails. “If I get the opportunity to manage the club, it’s about going forward and winning. If I didn’t do the job and get criticism, that’s part of it. I am not afraid of criticism. I will do what I think is best and make intelligent decisions. I have been in New York. If I had fear I wouldn’t have gotten on the plane to come down here.”

Like Girardi, Mattingly enjoyed his 60-minute visit with Steinbrenner.

“It was the first time I was able to sit down with the whole family and tell them how I feel about baseball,” Mattingly said. “I played for the man and coached for the man. This is a new situation and I spoke from the heart about how I feel.”

While Mattingly professed his admiration for Torre, he was quick to point out that he played for managers that were more emotional than Torre in the dugout.

“I learned a lot from Joe Torre being around him for four years, about how he handles players,” Mattingly said. “But I played for Billy Martin, Lou Piniella and Dallas Green. I take from everyone; the good from some the bad from some. There is a lot of Joe Torre in me but there is a lot of Billy Martin and Lou Piniella, too. Whatever it takes to get the job done.”

MATTINGLY AT A GLANCE

NAME: Donald Arthur Mattingly.

BORN: April 20, 1961 in Evansville, Ind.

MAJOR-LEAGUE SERVICE: 14 seasons.

MAJOR-LEAGUE DEBUT: September 8, 1982 as a Yankee.

MAJOR-LEAGUE FINALE: October 1, 1995 as a Yankee.

DRAFTED: 19th round of the 1979 amateur draft by the Yankees.

PLAYING CAREER: Six-time All-Star first baseman who won the 1985 AL MVP award.

COACHING CAREER: Served three years as the Yankees hitting coach before becoming Joe Torre’s bench coach this season. Served seven seasons as a Yankees special instructor in Tampa from 1997-2003.

george.king@nypost.com