Gareth Ainsworth: Wycombe boss says it would take 'something special' to leave

Gareth Ainsworth captained Wycombe before retiring in 2013

Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth says it would take "something special" for him to leave, after being linked with the Sunderland and Millwall jobs.

Ainsworth, 46, was last week given permission to talk to Sunderland, who appointed Phil Parkinson on Thursday.

The former QPR midfielder is also one of three candidates being considered by Millwall for their managerial vacancy.

"I'm flattered and thankful to everyone who's enabled all this hype to come about," Ainsworth said.

"The club has been in the media saying they've given me permission to speak to people and that's fantastic.

"I can't show my gratitude enough for that because then I'll look at the position and that's probably to find out if things are spectacular enough to leave Wycombe.

"But there's a huge amount of factors involved - my family situation, what we've built here, the vote (from the supporters' trust to decide on the takeover proposal)."

Ainsworth has been Wycombe boss since initially being made player-manager in 2012 and guided them to promotion from League Two in 2017-18.

The Chairboys are now second in League One and face Sunderland on Saturday.

"It will take something special to move me away but I'm also very grateful and proud to be the Wycombe Wanderers manager, and looking forward to the huge game on Saturday," Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"Spice or no spice it doesn't matter to me, I want to try and give a really good account of ourselves against possibly the strongest team in the league."