Ex-Cardiff and Wolves boss Mick McCarthy reveals he applied for the Sunderland job following Lee Johnson's sacking

McCarthy won promotion from the Championship with Sunderland during the 2004/05 season and has since managed Wolves, Ipswich and Cardiff.

The 63-year-old has been out of work since October last year when he left Cardiff after nine months in the job.

Sunderland took 12 days to appoint Alex Neil as Johnson’s successor, yet McCarthy was never a serious contender.

“I applied for it this time around,” McCarthy told Extra.ie’s Stronger with Sport Podcast.

“As soon as Lee Johnson — sadly for him — got the sack, I stuck my name in straight away.

“I said ‘oh I’ll take it to the end of the season.’ I did not even get a call back!”

Despite missing out on the Sunderland job, McCarthy says he’s still keen to get back into management.

“Look, I have not retired,” he added. “Maybe the game has retired me but I have not retired.

“If something came up that really interested me. That (Sunderland) would have done to the end of the season.

“I think they offered it to a few people to the end of the season. Others wanted longer contracts.

“To get them promoted and back into the Championship would be brilliant.”

McCarthy still looks back fondly on his three-year spell on Wearside between 2003 and 2006.

"It was such a big club, such a big job,” he said. “I thought I was blessed getting that. It is great.

“If you get the chance to manage Sunderland, all day long.”

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