Paddy McLaughlin says it would have been "unfair" for him to see out the season at Cliftonville.
McLaughlin stepped down as manager last Monday night despite the Reds facing crunch end-of-season European play-offs.
The 43-year-old has taken up the role of assistant manager at his hometown club Derry City and was in the dugout for the club's win over Cork City on Friday night.
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Some Reds fans have questioned the timing of McLaughlin's Solitude exit, but he believes his departure was the honourable thing to do.
"I probably could have stayed for the rest of the season. There were no fallouts," McLaughlin told BBC Sportsound.
"My plans and my ambitions for the club, maybe the club weren't ready for what I was asking. It wasn't fair on them, and it wasn't fair of me to make demands on things they couldn't hit, and targets they couldn't hit.
"So it wasn't fair. When I knew that, and I knew the offer from Derry was there to challenge to win a league title and cups on a regular basis, and working in a full-time environment, it wasn't fair on Cliftonville for me to hang about.
"It wasn't fair on the players. I always told them if you're not committed to the case then your time's up at the club. And that's probably the case.
"I could have hung about for a couple of weeks and seen them through the European games, but once I wasn't 100 per cent committed then there was no point me hanging about.
"Hopefully the next boy coming in can give the club the shot in the arm they need and get them into Europe. Decky (O'Hara) was a good choice from the club and hopefully the boys bounce off that straight away."
McLaughlin had been in charge of Cliftonville since 2019 and helped the Reds win the League Cup and County Antrim Shield during his time at the helm.
They narrowly missed out on the Premiership title last season, finishing one point behind eventual champions Linfield, while this term their title assault faded in the home straight.
Asked if he had any regrets over last season's title near-miss, McLaughlin said: "You regret every defeat and every point you dropped. You regret everything.
"I appreciate the season we had and got into Europe and won a cup. We had some big days, and we had some big disappointments along the way.
"We had 38 games to win the league, just like Linfield, and they finished with one point more than us.
"But these things happen and you just have to enjoy the journey while it lasts."
Cliftonville have appointed Declan O'Hara as interim manager until the end of the season. He kicked off his reign with a thrilling 3-3 draw with Crusaders on Saturday.
McLaughlin believes it is a shrewd appointment as the club prepares for the European play-offs.
"Short-term the club needs someone who knows the club. Decky was by my side for four-and-a-half years. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of every player," he added.
"So there is nobody better to go in there for a couple of weeks. He has good people around him and a brilliant squad of players.
"Some unbelievable talent, so everything is in place there."
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