Harry Redknapp has admitted he was "very close" to managing Ukraine in his first press conference as Queens Park Rangers manager.
Redknapp was paraded by the Rs on Monday morning after he replaced the sacked Mark Hughes on Saturday, with his first game in charge of the Premier League's bottom club at Sunderland on Tuesday night.
Redknapp earns his hoops
But the 65-year-old, who was in attendance for QPR's 3-1 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday, confirmed rumours he had been approached to coach the Ukrainian national side were true.
"I was very close to going to manage Ukraine," Redknapp said. "But when this job came up, QPR and the Premier League was the only place I wanted to be.
Harry and chums
"It’s a good club. We just need a lift. The owners are fantastic and deserve success. They don’t deserve to be where we are.
"I'm in it for the long-term. I want to build a successful side so we're not in this position again."
Joe Jordan and Kevin Bond, Redknapp's trusted lieutenants from his managerial stints at Portsmouth and Tottenham, are likely to join the 2008 FA Cup winner, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, at Loftus Road.
Renowned for his transfer window activity, Redknapp was adamant QPR, who signed 13 players in the summer, would not be making "wholesale changes" but hinted the squad was "short" up front, with Bobby Zamora out for three months with a hip injury.
The former Tottenham manager also revealed he had received a "lovely text" message from David Beckham but admitted he had not spoken about signing the LA Galaxy midfielder.
The only cup Redknapp will win?
Beckham announced last week he would be leaving the Galaxy after five-and-a-half-years and Redknapp's return to club football has intensified speculation he could make a move for the ex-England captain. The 37-year-old trained under Redknapp with Tottenham in 2011 in the MLS' off-season but was never contracted to the club.
