Stephen McPhail wants the glory that goes with the Premiership

Skipper Stephen McPhail is focused on helping Cardiff City win Premier League promotion after recovering from his FA Cup final heartache.

McPhail is now helping the Republic of Ireland prepare to face Serbia in a friendly in Dublin on Saturday.

McPhail said: "Hopefully the boss Dave Jones will have some money to build and bring in some players and just try to get out of this league.

"All I want to do is play in the Premier League as soon as possible."

McPhail starred for Leeds in the top-flight after coming through the Elland Road academy ranks.

The Irishman helped the Yorkshire club reach the 2001 Champions League semi-final where they were defeated by Spanish giants Valencia.

606: DEBATE Can the Bluebirds live up to McPhail's ambitions?

McPhail admits: "The Premier League is the best place to play football.

"It's a massive ambition of mine to get back playing where I have been before and experienced some great occasions.

"Our squad at Cardiff is quite small but what it lacks in quantity it makes up in quality.

"We never feared going to any Premier League team and playing against them. We feel we have got enough about us to play and pass the ball about.

"Going to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup quarter-final showed that and gave us that extra belief that we could go all the way."

McPhail has already put the disappointment of Saturday's 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth at Wembley behind him.

The 28-year-old was at the Bluebirds' homecoming celebrations on Sunday but within 24 hours he was en route to the Algarve to help the Republic of Ireland prepare to for their friendly with Serbia at Croke Park on Saturday.

And within hours of his arrival in Portugal, McPhail was back in action as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 training match victory over local side Lagos.

He said: "I didn't have too much time to mope around or be disappointed after the FA Cup final and I am looking forward to the next week or so."