Rob Kelly offers steer on Wigan Athletic managerial vacancy

"No," was the blunt reply, despite him marking his first game in caretaker charge following the sacking of Leam Richardson with a vital victory over Blackpool.

When asked to expand on his position, Kelly replied: "I've managed before and, no, it's not for me.

"I've done it, twice, and I wouldn't want to go into too much depth about why it's not for me...but it's not."

Kelly also played a textbook straight bat when asked whether he would be staying on when Richardson's successor is named.

"I can't affect that," he said. "That's not for me, that's out of my hands.

"But what I will say is, whoever walks through the door, they will inherit a really good dressing room, with really good characters and a really good spirit.

"Most importantly they're good people, I've not come across many dressing rooms that are as tight and as good as this one.

"I think that bodes well for the future - whoever it is who takes it on."

Kelly also paid tribute to his former boss, who was relieved of his duties on Thursday morning.

"Leam has done an unbelievable job here, an unbelievable job, from where it is now to where it was - it's night and day," he added.

"He can walk away with his head held very high, given where this club was two years ago.

"I'm old, but football has always been about two things...players and supporters - and that's it.

"Everything else is just noise, and I know we love in the modern world, but that is only what counts.

"You saw on Saturday the supporters are with us because they can see how rapidly this club has come forward in the last two years.

"We still need to catch up in certain areas, but everyone connected with this club cares about the future.

"Every single day, this group wants to be better, a little bit better, than the day before.

"What a great thing to walk into as a new man, taking on this job.

"A group of players who want to learn, want to be better, in training and in matches, just needing that help from above."