MARTIN O’Neill insists he has no regrets about giving up the chance to be England’s next manager in order to take over at the Stadium of Light.

With Fabio Capello set to stand down from his position at the end of next summer’s European Championships, the Football Association are hardly blessed with a plethora of viable candidates to be his successor.

Harry Redknapp might have his champions among the national media, but O’Neill would surely have made it on to the FA’s shortlist had he not agreed to replace Steve Bruce on Wearside over the weekend.

The Northern Irishman was interviewed for the England job prior to Steve McClaren’s appointment in 2006, but claims he never thought about delaying a domestic position in order to remain in the running for an anticipated vacancy next summer.

“I don’t think you hang around for jobs,” said O’Neill.

“There are a number of fantastic managers in work, and some really excellent ones not in work at the moment.

“This opportunity came along and I wanted to grasp it.

“I have never thought about it (the England job). I would think that if Mr Capello was to leave, Harry Redknapp would be an absolute certainty the way he is performing at Tottenham, particularly since Trevor Brooking came out this week and said the next manager is likely to be British.

“I would have said Harry is the number one candidate the way it is going at the moment, but I am very, very happy to be here managing this football club.”

O’Neill also used his introductory press conference as Sunderland boss to dispel some of the myths surrounding his departure from Aston Villa 16 months ago.

At the time, it was suggested the former Leicester and Celtic boss had quit because of a disagreement with the club’s owner, Randy Lerner, over a perceived lack of investment in the transfer market.

O’Neill claims this was not the case, hinting that he was removed from his position despite still being under contract.

“To my discredit, I have broken a contract once in my career, but it was not at Villa,” he said. “I broke a contract at Norwich to my immense discredit.

But not at Villa.

“Today might not be the day for that discussion. One day I will. That said, Villa have a great history and it was a privilege to manage there at the time. But this is my opportunity now here at Sunderland.

I have been afforded an opportunity and it’s the best opportunity I could possibly have.”

O’Neill took charge of his first Sunderland training session yesterday morning and has already overseen a major overhaul of the club’s backroom staff.

Eric Black and Nigel Spink have both departed in the wake of last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Wolves, when they took caretaker charge of proceedings.

Steve Walford has arrived as first-team coach, with Seamus McDonagh confirmed as Sunderland’s new goalkeeping coach.

O’Neill has appointed Jim Henry as fitness coach, but the role of assistant manager is currently vacant after another of the Northern Irishman’s long-standing associates, John Robertson, declined an invitation to move to Wearside.

“I’ve worked with John in the past and have an enormous amount of time for him, but he has decided not to (move) for personal reasons,” said O’Neill. “I respect that and it is fine.”

Sunderland’s new boss has spent the last few weeks working for ITV as part of their Champions League punditry team, a role that brought him into contact with a wellknown ex-Black Cats boss who had nothing but good things to say about his former employers.

“I’ve been working with Roy (Keane) and I have to tell you that he was exceptionally complimentary,” said O’Neill.

“He did get them promotion of course, but he was extremely complimentary about everything to do with the club.”