Sam Allardyce has ruled out returning to Crystal Palace after revealing that club chairman Steve Parish called him following the sacking of Frank de Boer.
De Boer, 47, was dismissed by Palace on Monday after losing his fourth of four league fixtures with the club, and Standard Sport understands that Roy Hodgson is set to be named as the new Eagles manager.
Allardyce saved Palace from relegation last season, but decided to step down at the end of the campaign - and insisted four days ago that he would not step in if De Boer were to be sacked.
And speaking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football show following De Boer's sacking, Allardyce confirmed he had spoken to Palace chairman Steve Parish but ruled himself out of contention.
"I spoke to Steve late this afternoon and said, for me, I wouldn't be ready to come back," he said.
"I wouldn't be comfortable at this moment in time taking a position as a football manager. I'm enjoying my life too much at this moment, watching everyone else have the weight of pressure, and there's certainly huge pressure as we've seen with Frank going so early.
"He didn't offer me the job but he asked, 'What are your thoughts?' It was a clever question. I said, 'If you were to offer me the job at this moment in time, I wouldn't want to go back'."
Every Crystal Palace manager since their 2012 promotion
Allardyce had earlier told Sky Sports News of the sacking: "[It] shows the panic in football today is ever increasing due to the size of the money and the fear of losing your position in the Premier League.
"As a manager, you have to live or die by your results and unfortunately now that is quicker than ever. It is a great shame that Palace have not continued where I left off.
"But I watched them yesterday and I have to say the fact they actually lost the game was beyond me.
"Twenty-two attempts at goal, complete domination but unfortunately the guys at the end, when the chances came, couldn't put the ball in the net.
"Four games with no points makes life extremely difficult for Palace."
Additional reporting by the Press Association.
