Stuart Pearce insists he will not be distracted if he takes on the England Under-21s job.
The Manchester City boss is adamant he will be able to cope with the two roles and stressed his club will always be his No 1 priority.
City say they have no problem with Pearce taking over for the European Championships in the summer, but do not want him involved in next week's game against Spain and another warm-up match against unnamed opposition next month.
"Anyone who wants to put every defeat or draw down to the fact that I have been away for two days needs to get real," Pearce told the Daily Express.
"My involvement would only be to the end of the tournament in June and that is fine by me. I don't see the downside.
"There will be no scouting as such because the squad is virtually picked already. And by Tuesday night of next week my four days in charge during the season will already be half over.
"If City fans don't know that I will always put this club first, then they don't know me by now.
"We had a great feelgood factor around this club when Micah Richards was picked for England so why shouldn't we be proud if another employee could be with the national team?
"I know I cannot afford to take my eye off the ball at City. We are not good enough and I am not good enough to be distracted just one per cent. But if I thought the England job would create that situation I simply would not do it."
City chairman John Wardle and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh claim that Pearce could be distracted if City were dragged into a relegation battle.
But the former England player dismissed their concerns and insisted that the two roles would not overlap.
"Manchester City are, and will always be, my number one priority," added Pearce.
"And in my own mind I feel that me being involved with the cream of this country's young players can only benefit this club in the long run. I am not stupid. I weighed up the situation carefully before I decided the two jobs would not overlap."