Mick McCarthy has refused to rule out managing Ireland again – but he’s in no rush to give up the Premier League for international football.

The former Irish boss has also lashed out at the players who couldn’t be bothered to turn up for Giovanni Trapattoni at the end of last season.

As Trapattoni prepares to return to work this week, McCarthy has shared some strong opinions with the Irish Examiner on the stay-aways who missed the wins over Macedonia, Italy, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

He is also keen to quell recent speculation that he will succeed Trap if the FAI fails to renew the Italian’s contract at the end of the current European Championship campaign.

“Any headline that says ‘Mick McCarthy wants the Irish job’ is bull,” said McCarthy, manager when Ireland last qualified for a major finals at the 2002 World Cup.

“I would love an international job again because I loved my time with Ireland, absolutely loved it. But I prefer day to day management right now.

“If the Ireland job was right in the future, then I would consider it. But not now.”

Trapattoni flies into Ireland on Thursday when he returns to work at events in and around the FAI’s AGM in Clare.

On Friday afternoon, the current Irish boss will unveil his squad for the August friendly against Croatia at the Aviva Stadium.

James McCarthy, Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson and Anthony Stokes face an anxious wait to see if Trap has forgiven them for missing the end of season games.

But McCarthy has no doubts what he would do with any player who puts his summer holidays before the national team.

“I have a word for the players who don’t turn up but you can’t print it,” declared the Wolves boss.

“They are bang out of order. It is just wrong. I am not bothered what their reason is. I’m not having it and as a manager, I wouldn’t have it.”