But the former England international insists he could do the job for the club.
He said: “A couple of days after Sam Allardyce got the sack I got a call from the club to say they were looking for an experienced manager, which ruled me out.
“What I can say is that if you want someone to galvanise the dressing room, get them organised and playing then, yes, I think I could do that. If they want that and someone with experience then I’m not that man.
“But I understand and respect their decision. But for me, it is about the experience you gather around you.
“There are plenty of people who have taken on big jobs in their first managerial role and made sure they have gathered experienced people around them.
“If they had asked me to meet the chairman to talk about this job, I would have done it.”
