The new Racecourse boss said last month he wasn’t going for the job on a full-time basis.
The coach stepped in after Sam Ricketts left for Shrewsbury but claimed he was just keeping the seat warm until the new man arrived.
It transpired that he was that man - and thanks to his denials it threw everyone.
He revealed: "In all honesty I was never not interested.
"The response from the players was fantastic when I came in. I thought ‘these lads are always going to be in every game, they are going to give you everything so why not stay with them'.
"I thought 'why not me' so here I am!"
Barrow takes charge for the first time officially at Aldershot on Saturday.
He added: “I suppose you should never say never but I’m so excited by the challenge.”