Filippo Inzaghi has revealed how he turned down the opportunity of moving to China to accept the offer to become coach of Italian third-division club Venezia.
The 42-year-old has been out of the game for a year after being sacked by AC Milan last summer and he has turned down numerous opportunities during that time, although he says the Venezia job was one he could not resist.
"It hurt me a lot being so far away from the field of play -- I can't live without football," Inzaghi said, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I met several clubs, even from a higher level, including some Chinese clubs, but when Venezia called me I didn't have any doubt.
"They are going to bring in some big players and I know we're going to be under the spotlight, but I'm as enthusiastic today as I was on my first day at school. This is Serie A to me. The league we are in doesn't make a difference, and so doesn't money, otherwise I would have gone somewhere else. We've got a president who has Champions League calibre."
Inzaghi is still on the Milan payroll until the end of the month, otherwise, he said: "I would start work tomorrow."
But he is under no illusion as to the size of the task he faces at the Venetian club.
"Everybody will have the dream of beating Venezia," Inzaghi said. "We know that this is going to be our greatest difficulty. Everybody's going to be watching us, but I hope to lead Venezia into Serie A."
His acrimonious departure from Milan has not tempered his love for the Rossoneri, however.
"I want to thank Milan because the most beautiful years of my life were spent wearing that shirt," he said. "What happened last year has not even slightly reduced my love for those colours."