Former Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy has once again signalled his intent to return to management, targetting a club in either the Premier League or Championship.

East Anglian Daily Times: McCarthy is keen to return to management. Picture: STEVE WALLERMcCarthy is keen to return to management. Picture: STEVE WALLER (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

The 59-year-old is out of work following his departure from Portman Road in April but has made no secret of his desire to get back into the game.

He was initially linked with the West Brom job, which appears to be going to Darren Moore, while he has also been mentioned in connection with the likes of former clubs Barnsley and Sunderland in League One.

But, in an interview with the Daily Mail, McCarthy insists he sees himself in the top two tiers of English football.

‘I want to work in the Championship or the Premier League,’ he said.

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“If I could get a Championship job with a chance of getting in the Premier League, that would be great. What gives me inspiration is Roy Hodgson going in at Palace, Warny (Neil Warnock) at Cardiff. Get them organised, hard to beat, know what they are doing. Play good football. Win. I put myself in that bracket.’

On his departure from Portman Road, McCarthy said: “It was the right thing but it would have been nice to leave without that atmosphere because I loved the place,’ he said.

“I thought with eight games left they may just have left me alone and got behind the team but that didn’t happen.

“The relationship with a minority was tenuous but I loved the bones of the people at the club.”

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The Blues continue to search for McCarthy’s replacement, with St Mirren’s Jack Ross and Paul Hurst of Shrewsbury leading contenders. Ross is believed to have held talks but Ipswich must wait until after Shrewsbury’s League One play-off final clash with Rotherham before speaking with Hurst.

Contrary reports in Scotland, though, it is not a two-horse race with further candidates believed to be lined up for interviews.