DEERFIELD, ILL. ? Scott Skiles’ reputation was forged by his feisty playing style and later by his no-nonsense, in-your-face approach during his first NBA coaching stop in Phoenix.

Can he rub off on the disappointing Chicago Bulls, or will he just rub his players the wrong way?

When he took over Friday as Chicago’s head coach, Skiles said it was wins and not confrontations he was seeking after nearly two years away from the sidelines.

“No question I’m a different coach than then, but I don’t deviate from the core principles that I believe in, in how the game should be played,” Skiles said.

That would be all-out effort and game-long defense, key ingredients sometimes missing during the Bulls’ 4-12 start. Bill Cartwright was fired after the Bulls went 4-10, and then they lost two more games under interim coach Pete Myers.

Skiles said coaching players with big contracts and strong wills required a mixture of techniques.

“One day it’s telling them how much you like them and how happy you are and you encourage them. And other times, it’s more serious than that, and it can be confrontational,” Skiles said, dressed in his new Bulls warmups after running his first practice.

“I think that is what has been put on me, is that ‘He’s confrontational.’ I think there is subtle difference there. I don’t search out the confrontation, but on other hand, I’m not afraid of it either if it does occur.”

Skiles had a 116-79 record as coach of the Suns from 1999-02, and was 5-8 in the playoffs. His coaching methods created friction with some of his players, most notably Jason Kidd, before Skiles quit in February 2002. He has not coached since.

New Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles, right, watches Eddy Curry during practice. Skiles took over the Bulls' head-coaching job Friday in Deerfield, Ill.

“It’s going to be a feeling-out process. Scott is going to have to be patient and the guys are going to work hard and allow him to do what he has to do to make this change a positive change,” Bulls veteran Scottie Pippen said.

“We feel his bulldog personality will carry over hopefully to the way we play,” Jalen Rose added.

Skiles told the players he would judge them on performance, not the past.

“I told them to wipe the slate clean,” he said.

General manager John Paxson said his expectations were for the Bulls to make the playoffs this season. But after a slow start, they collapsed on a western road trip, losing all five games and have dropped seven straight overall.

Skiles will make his Bulls coaching debut Monday at home against the Bucks.

“I know a new direction can help us,” Paxson said. “Scott can teach and coach, and he has the fire that will serve us well.”

“I have high expectations and so should they. I will not abandon John and Bill’s goal at the beginning of the season to make the playoffs,” Skiles said. “That is very realistic to me.”