Steve Diamond says a series of family issues was the reason he stepped down as Sale director of rugby in December.
Diamond, 52, says the death of his mother last year, 12 months after his brother passed away, and a terminal cancer diagnosis for his sister prompted his decision to leave.
Attack coach Paul Deacon has been in temporary charge since his resignation.
Diamond had been in charge for a decade and was the second-longest serving director of rugby in the Premiership.
"I built with Simon (Orange) and Ged (Mason) a fantastic management team, a great club, really solid foundations and I thought if there was a time for me to step aside and let the other people come through that was the best time," he told BT Sport.
"The last four weeks have rejuvenated me and at the right time I'll get back in the horse, but it was the right thing for me to do at the time."
Sale had won two of their three Premiership games when Diamond stood down on 8 December.
Last season the club won the Premiership Cup and missed out on the play-offs after positive Covid-19 cases meant they had to forfeit their final game against Worcester and ended the season in fifth place.