Former Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett has admitted that he harbours ambitions to work in the Premier League.

The 42-year-old earned plaudits with his work for the Championship side, turning them from relegation candidates to promotion hopefuls before he was surprisingly sacked just before Christmas.

Rowett has since been linked with a number of top-flight jobs, including strugglers Swansea City and Hull City, and has admitted that he would consider "exciting" offers.

"Of course as a young manager I've got ambitions," he told Sky Sports News. "I don't think I've ever said to myself 'I want to manage there'. It's all about learning and continuing to improve. If I improve to the level I think I can, then undoubtedly, hopefully at some point I'll get that opportunity [in the Premier League]. It's very difficult to get those opportunities because the jobs are few and far between. There's so many great candidates out there from all walks of life to try and get those jobs.

"I've coached at all different levels, I've been coaching and managing for 12 years, so I'm quite experienced over that period of time. I would take on anything that I felt was really, really exciting. Football is a great opportunity to go and learn new cultures and new levels of football. As a manager you're always trying to challenge yourself in different ways so I don't know what that challenge is yet.

"I'm patient in terms of waiting for that challenge because I think it has to be the right one. But I'ma also not egotistical enough to turn down an exciting opportunity, whether it's abroad, in a different division, whatever it is. I'm pretty excited for whatever's round the corner."

Rowett previously had a two-year spell at Burton Albion, guiding them to the top of League Two before leaving to take over at Birmingham.