'Dave Jones has offered me the chance to play my part in helping Cardiff City achieve promotion,' McPhail told the Echo.
'I sat with the manager and he told me where he intends to take this club.
'He wants to be manager of Cardiff when they are playing Premiership football in a new stadium. And I want to play in his team.
'He convinced me the dream is possible and that's why I am here in Wales.'
McPhail will return to his previous club Barnsley on the opening day of the season. Prior to that he was at Leeds Utd. He was an unused sub when City beatthe then Premiership leaders in the FA Cup.
'I had two Achilles operations and they knocked me back for a year,' says McPhail.
'When I finally regained my fitness, Leeds were signing top players and, yes, I found it hard.
'I went out on loan a couple of time and then signed for Barnsley.
'I had two tremendous seasons at Oakwell and we earned promotion last season.
'They were a great stepping stone for me and I will always remember Barnsley Football Club for that.
'That play-off final, at the Millennium Stadium, was magnificent.
'I've played in some big matches for Leeds United and Ireland and that win against Swansea is up there with the best of them.
'It was a difficult decision to leave Barnsley.
'A number of clubs were interested in signing me, but in the end it came down to Dave Jones.
'I sat with him and he told me about the plans for Cardiff City. I had been with Leeds since the age of 15 and lived in the same area of the city for 11 years.
'Now I'm a City player and can't wait for my first league match at Ninian Park.
'Before that, though, I have a return to Barnsley on my debut.
'I can still hardly believe the fixtures have thrown that one up for Cardiff's first game of the new season.'