AC Milan coach Cristian Brocchi says he was surprised to be chosen to replace Sinisa Mihajlovic in charge of the first team 10 days ago, but says it is an unexpected opportunity he is keen to make the most of.
Former Milan midfielder Brocchi was coaching the youth team until he received a call from club president Silvio Berlusconi early last week.
"I didn't expect it," he told Mediaset television. "They told me they wanted to talk to me, but I wasn't sure what it was about -- they could have wanted to talk to me about the youth team."
Instead, Berlusconi wanted to ask him to take over first-team affairs until the end of the season, and ensure the Rossoneri make it into Europe next season.
That is exactly what the 40-year-old intends to do and also to earn himself a longer stay on the first-team bench.
"I can't think of the future as any form of pressure," he said. "I've been given an opportunity to coach a top club like Milan and it's the best thing that could have happened to me. I'm doing the best I can and I will do this right up to the last day, whether that is May 21 [date of the Coppa Italia final] or who knows when.
"I'd like to stay here forever and go down in Milan history, but I'm not thinking of what will come. I'm just thinking about reaching the objectives Milan have with the utmost serenity."
He got off to a good start with a win over Sampdoria at the weekend and he was quick to praise his predecessor for his contribution, saying "it was not the coach's fault, but rather a series of situations all put together" which led to recent results and Mihajlovic's dismissal.
"He certainly instilled a work ethic in this side and I want to see the attitude we showed in Genoa also in our coming games," added Brocchi, whose side host Carpi at the San Siro on Thursday night.