JOHN McGreal says is ready to take on a new challenge, as he eyes a return to the dugout.

The 48-year-old parted company with Colchester United in July, after four years in charge at the JobServe Community Stadium.

McGreal, who led Colchester to the League Two play-offs and Carabao Cup quarter-finals last season, has revealed he has held talks with two other League Two clubs since leaving Colchester, in July.

And nearly five months on from his departure from the U’s, the former Ipswich Town and Burnley defender says he is ambitious and keen to take on another role – providing it is right for all parties.

“I’m looking to get back involved if the right club and the right move for me happens – it’s got to be right for all parties,” said McGreal.

“Hopefully what I did at Colchester, especially last season is at the forefront of people’s minds and there’s something there that suits all parties.

“I could have easily have jumped into something straight away – maybe other people would have jumped in but I just felt that it wasn’t right for me at the time.

“The desire is always there and you want to improve especially on last season.

“We had a great season at the football club – not just me and Steve (Ball) but the whole team, really including Robbie (Cowling) who gave us great support.

“It happens – decisions are made and people get sacked.

“You’re looking for your next challenge and that’s what I’m doing at the moment and to try and improve on that last season that I had.

“I’ve had really good chats with two different chairmen in division two.

“I got offered a job a couple of weeks ago where the timing wasn’t quite right for me but it’s been quite positive.

“It’s been encouraging and I’m always trying to get back in.

“Because of the Covid restrictions, I haven’t been able to get out to watch as many games or training sessions as I’d have liked.

“But I’ve been over to Colchester – I spoke to Robbie and the club to see if I could go over there bearing in mind the Covid restrictions and making sure that the protocols were in place.

“I’ve watched a couple of Colchester’s home games and have been watching quite a few videos as well, just to stay in the picture of what’s happening.

“Watching games whets your appetite again and hopefully soon, something might happen and that hunger is there for me to go into a fresh challenge.

“It’s a little bit out of the norm at the moment, for everyone.

“But I’m still keeping my eye on division two and how teams are playing and stuff like that.

“I’ve had invites and I know quite a few people, within the game.

“I’m hoping to get to plenty of games, watching from a distance.”

McGreal spent a total of 11 years as a coach at Colchester, including four years as head coach.

In addition to leading them to the League Two play-offs and League Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in their history, he also helped the U’s compete for a top-seven finish in his first three years in charge in addition to helping a number of talented players progress to a higher level, after shining under his management.

He parted company with Colchester in the summer, with his assistant Steve Ball succeeding him as head coach.

“I had a great time at Colchester and I wish them the very best,” said McGreal.

“I’d been in the job for four years and it’s an eight days, 25 hours a week job.

“You put everything into it.

“We were so close on a number of occasions to getting out of the division and reached the play-offs, last season but unfortunately didn’t get through.

“There’s constraints at every football club including Colchester.

“That’s no different to any other club but it’s a well-run club, as everybody knows.

“Robbie puts his heart and soul into the football club to keep them self sufficient and make sure that there’s a pathway there for the academy boys.

“That all came under the constraints of what you have to do at Colchester.

“The support was there and Steve (Ball) was brilliant during the four years I had in charge.

“He’s now trying to improve on what we’ve done together.

“Steve is his own man there; we speak on a regular basis.

“It’s not an easy job at the best of times, with the Covid restrictions and the wage caps.

“The academy is a big part of the football club and you look at the players who have progressed during my time in charge like Sammie Szmodics, Frankie Kent, Kane Vincent-Young and also the likes of Drey Wright and Alex Gilbey.

“There are also players like Frank Nouble and Ryan Jackson who have jumped up a division and we were part of coaching them, to become better players.

“That desire is still there to get back into the game, coach players and improve players and also try and improve on what I did last season and get that promotion on my CV – that’s the big challenge ahead of me.

“Hitting over 200 games was also another big thing for me as a manager, which is a nice little milestone.”

McGreal has been recharging his batteries since leaving Colchester and has made the most of his time outside of football to spend time with his family.

He added: “I’ve had two or three months off now and I needed that little bit of time off and to step out of it after what had happened, as managers do.

“I’ve had time to spend with the family which I haven’t had.

“I’ve been able to go up and see my Mum and my Dad before lockdown, my brothers and sister and stuff like that, which was lovely.

“I’ve been able to spend time with my kids and was able to take my daughter to Uni which was lovely.

“Once that was done, the house kept me busy and then the phone started ringing, which was encouraging.

“I’ve had those chats because whatever happens in the industry happens – that’s the unfortunate side of it.

“The thing I miss at the moment is the day to day training – being a coach and doing all of that work on the grass throughout the week, setting your team up and going backwards and forwards with your number two and having that trust there.

“Putting that work in on the training pitch and seeing it replicated on a Saturday – there’s no better feeling.”