Former Leeds United boss David O'Leary says he'd consider becoming an assistant manager for Manchester United or Arsenal.

"The only people who could take me as a number two would be an Alex Ferguson or an Arsene Wenger and I'd be back tomorrow. I don't want to be making out that my tongue is hanging out ass licking to get into a job. That's just not me," said O'Leary.

O'Leary was rumoured to be in contention to succeed Ferguson when the United supremo was originally due to retire in 2002.

But the ex Leeds and Aston Villa boss says he never expected the most successful manager in English football to walk away from the game.

"There are two clubs you would love to manage, Arsenal and Manchester United. One thing I knew from George Graham who is close to Alex Ferguson, Alex will nearly die in the job... if you know what I mean.

"It was great to take Alex on. He said for the first time he had a team that came to Old Trafford willing to take United on and play football, not putting 10 men behind the ball."