Sunderland boss Jack Ross says he has no regrets about taking the job at the Stadium of Light in the summer of 2018 despite having spoken to Blues owner Marcus Evans about the vacancy at Town.
Ross impressed in interviews with Evans but wasn’t offered the Portman Road hotseat with Town keen to formally speak to Paul Hurst once Shrewsbury had played the play-off final and in the meantime the Scot took the job with the Black Cats, who are at Portman Road today.
"I spoke to the club and to Marcus and got on really well with them but for whatever reasons things took a different course for both of us,” Ross told the Sunderland Chronicle.
"After everything I’d read, found out and done my homework on that club I knew how big a club it was and its history but for me I’ve always maintained I would never, ever regret taking this job on.
"It’s a tough job and a challenging one but equally it’s an enjoyable one as well and I still enjoy every minute of it.”
Ross had been manager at St Mirren where Blues boss Paul Lambert was a player early in his career but the Wearsiders’ manager says the two don’t know one another.
"He played for one of my former clubs in St Mirren but I haven’t come across him,” he added. "He’s spent a lot of time in England in coaching and management so Saturday will be the first time I’ve come across him.
"There’s not many Scotsmen have lifted the European Cup. Andy Robertson did it last season but Paul was the first in a number of years [with Borussia Dortmund in 1997] so he’s hugely respected in Scotland in terms of what he’s achieved within the game.
"He turned 50 on Wednesday so he’s obviously got a vast experience in coaching and management and he’s had success in this league. I’m sure he’ll look to replicate that this season.”