Mick McCarthy has revealed that he would go back to Sunderland "in a heartbeat" if he was not already under contract at Ipswich Town.
The Yorkshireman spent three years at the Stadium of Light helm between 2003 and 2006, enjoying a largely successful stint in charge of the club before it came to an end with the Black Cats bottom of the Premier League.
Ipswich boss McCarthy is due to see his current deal in Suffolk expire at the end of the campaign and, due to a fraught relationship with supporters, it is unknown whether he will stay on beyond that point.
Asked about the vacant position at Sunderland, McCarthy is quoted by the East Anglian Times as saying: "I'm contracted here. Maybe if I was out of contract... Oh yeah, if I was out of contract, and I was free and available, then yes I'd go back in a heartbeat because I loved my time there.
"But I'm not out of contract, I'm not free and available, so no I wouldn't be going back. I'm not looking for any other jobs. I'm not interested in that. But when I'm free and available, yes, I will be looking for another job and Sunderland would interest me, of course it would."
Sunderland parted company with Simon Grayson on Tuesday evening, just 16 minutes after being held to a frustrating 3-3 draw at home to basement club Bolton Wanderers.
Daniel Lewis
