New Derby County boss Paul Jewell has explained why he walked away from Wigan Athletic at the end of last season.

"I was never ill. I was never in a straitjacket as some people might have thought," said the 43-year-old. "All I wanted to do was walk away from Wigan with my head held high.

"There were absolutely no health reasons. I just wanted a rest from football and I'm not ashamed to say that.

"I enjoyed my time and I'm refreshed and hopefully I can come back a better manager.

"I've taken my time out of football to reflect on how I can get better. That time has not just been spent playing golf, as some people might think, I've done a lot of travelling and watched a lot of football to try to improve myself as a manager."