After 21 decorated seasons with the Saints, Harvey began his tenure as a development coach with the Blues on Monday and premiership success was immediately on the agenda.
"Obviously I'm really motivated to be part of a successful club; I wasn't able to achieve that as a player so I'm hoping to push [for] that [premiership]," Harvey said.
"I'm excited and I can't wait to start working. I think it's the best thing for me to help me get over not playing and obviously that's going to take some getting used to.
"Getting into the coaching side of it and helping out guys who are a lot younger than me and who've got it all ahead of them is what I wanted to do. It's where I wanted to start and to be here now doing that, I think it's going to help me get over not playing, and it gives me a huge focus.
"I think by the time the season starts I'll be fine. I'm pretty fresh out [of the game]; I only finished a month ago, so once I get over that and pre-season starts it'll be business as usual for me.
"I saw a few of the young boys doing laps today and they were pushing themselves pretty hard so I don't miss that. Once they get the footys out I'll probably join in a few sessions and that'll help me as well, but I'll definitely miss it."
Harvey joins David Teague and newly-installed development and academy manager Darren Harris in the club's revamped player development department, which lost Matthew Lappin to Brett Ratten's coaching panel at the conclusion of the 2008 season.
The introduction of a youth academy to help fast-track the club's stocks of young talent is the first order of business, with all three men to work on equipping the youngsters in their charge with the tools to become effective AFL players as well as well-rounded people.
Harvey has a long association with Ratten, having played Teal Cup football against the Blues' coach more than 20 years ago before taking the rivalry onto the VFL/AFL stage.
Ratten was delighted to be able to usher in a new phase in their relationship.
"We've been opposed many times and I've usually seen the back of Rob in most games because he's been running away from me," Ratten said with a smile.
"I think his record against Carlton has probably been 'three votes R. Harvey' in the Brownlow so we probably got a few votes there for him, but he's just been a great player.
"It's great to catch up as we've gotten a bit older and now to go from playing into coaching is good."
A senior coaching role remains a possibility for the St Kilda champion, who is hopeful his new role will help crystallise his thinking on the matter.
"I'm not sure. I was keen to try and get away from a place I had been at for so long and I think this will give me the answer over the next couple of years whether that's the case [or not]," he said.
"So far I'm just enjoying it and want to build into it a little bit in my first year. I don't know the answer to that, but hopefully it will become clearer over the next couple of years, but I just want to help contribute to Carlton and help them get what they want."
Harvey wouldn't be drawn into making bold predictions about where the side might finish next season, but he admitted there would be plenty of expectation placed on the young side following several years in the AFL wilderness.
"I think the way Carlton finished this year expectations are going to be pretty high for the group and it will be part of the development of the group to be able to handle that expectation," he said.
"I don't know [the side] in-depth enough, but my outside perception was that they had some great, stirring, come-from-behind wins last year that showed a lot of character.
"From the outside looking in I think there's great character in the young guys and I think it's a great place to start for a group like that and if I can help build that in some way I'll be really happy.
"They've got some older guys who can contribute greatly as well, but the amount of quality young guys they've got, they go really deep, and I think they've got a great future."
