STEVE Coppell has reiterated how a burning ambition to prove himself in the Premier League persuaded him to take the Bristol City manager's job.

Out of work for almost a year after resigning as Reading boss, the former Manchester United and England star could have waited for a top-flight post to become vacant in the summer.

Instead, he chose to accept an offer from City chairman Steve Lansdown to succeed Gary Johnson at Ashton Gate.

And the 54-year-old Liverpudlian insists managing City represents his best chance of a return to the Premier League.

"I could have waited for a big job to come up, but there are no guarantees," said Coppell, who forged his reputation by guiding both Crystal Palace and Reading to the top flight.

"There are very few jobs for English managers in the Premiership and I could have waited and ended up with nothing.

"I'm a pragmatist and I've always maintained my best chance to manage in the Premier League is to take a Championship club and win promotion.

"I was fortunate enough to do that with Palace and Reading and now I want to try and do the same with Bristol City."

Coppell turned down a number of offers last season, but jumped at the chance to take over at City after being approached by Lansdown.

He said: "I did have a few offers, but the kind that I didn't have to think about for very long. Then Steve Lansdown contacted me and I immediately sat up and took notice.

"It was a job that got my football juices flowing and I knew instinctively it was the right one for me. I thought about it long and hard and realised the challenge was exactly what I was looking for."

Coppell managed both Palace and Reading in the top flight and remains ambitious to prove himself in the richest league in the world.

He added: "The Premier League is the only place to be. It's the elite and every manager is known throughout the world.

"It's the most handicapped sporting competition on earth, but it's where everyone wants to be. It's the ultimate test for a manager.

"I've been there before and I really enjoyed the challenge. I'm still hungry and ambitious and I want to be a Premier League manager again.

"The approach from Bristol City made me realise that. It made me nervous and excited and that's when I knew it was the right job for me."