Derek McGrath is not closing on the door on managing Waterford - or another county - next year.
After a year out, the former Deise boss claims he's 80 per cent certain that he won't return to the intercounty scene for 2019 - but hinted he's open to persuasion.
Waterford are looking for a successor to Paraic Fanning, who took over from McGrath but left the hot-seat after one year.
But other counties could be interested McGrath, who guided the Deise to the 2017 All-Ireland final - including Offaly and Cork, who now have a vacancy.
McGrath said: "They'd all interest me, if I'm honest, it's just I'd be in the 20 per cent category of a) would I be considered, and b) would I have the energy or the know-how to do it?
"I'm open to it - but I'm only partially open to it.
"I'd be leaning towards not going, not getting involved this year anyway - but something could change my mind very easily.
"I’m kinda saying to myself, ‘Jesus, is it too early to go back there?’. You have no divine right to step back in there anyway.
"There’s other things to consider, including family. I came out of it because I felt I was exhausted from it, really."
Peter Queally was linked with the Waterford job when McGrath got it and is seen as the early front-runner again.
McGrath acknowledges the qualities that the former Deise player would bring to the post. "He has all the credentials," the 43-year-old said.
But at the back of McGrath's mind is the notion that he has learned from mistakes over his three years at the helm, and he got put them to use now or in the longer term.
If he was to go back now, he would do so with his teaching job in tandem. There won't be another career break to concentrate fully on the hurling.
Waterford are rebuilding. That's why I think when they're appointing somebody, they should probably appoint for three years because the public will probably think, or the outside perception, is almost thinking, 'Are Waterford rebuilding'?
But then you might surprise someone in year one or year two of the project, so it's evening out.
McGrath is back from a Spanish holiday in time to be on the Sunday Game panel for Sunday's All-Ireland final.
But while away he had to turn his phone off due to the barrage of comments he received over his comments on RTE on the night of the Tipp v Wexford semi-final. Critics felt that it overshadowed analysis of a thrilling encounter.
There was a massive reaction to the debate driven by McGrath and Donal Og Cusack over the use of sweepers in the modern game.
McGrath confesses there was "self-indulgence" in his contribution and that, on reflection, it wasn't the platform for an outburst fuelled by criticism over his tactical approach with Waterford.
"If it borders on personal abuse, I think it shouldn't be accepted," he stressed.
"But the hurt I felt from the criticism of how we played would be more significant than any kind of criticism by a pundit.
"We'd invested our lives in a way that the lads believed they could get the best out of themselves.
"I’d say it was hurt, not bitterness. There's a difference.
"Hurt kind of lodges for a while. I didn’t want it to kind it read and sound bitter, but I’d say it did.
"I’ll learn from that. Nobody has all the answers, especially myself”.
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