Mick McCarthy has revealed that he turned down the chance to manage Nottingham Forest because he wanted a job in the Premier League.
McCarthy held talks with Forest but says that he decided it was not right to join Forest without complete commitment.
The 53-year-old told the Irish Independent: "The primary reason that I said no is that I want to get a job in the Premier League.
"Whether that's going to happen or not, I don't know, because there isn't an awful lot of jobs going, of course, and it's not really a sacking league, well it's got better that way.
"I'd also just moved out of the West Midlands, and I thought it would be wrong to go back and just take a club, especially a club like Nottingham Forest, which has a great history, for the sake of taking the club. I don't think anyone deserves that."
McCarthy was sacked by Wolverhampton Wanderers in February after a poor run of results but the club were still relegated, finishing bottom of the Premier League.
Forest eventually appointed former first-team coach Sean O'Driscoll to the vacant managerial post at the City Ground.
