Adrian Whitbread said leaving League Two side Barnet FC to return to the Caribbean as the inaugural head coach new North American Soccer League team Puerto Rico FC was an offer he couldn't refuse.
The NASL club, owned by New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, will make their debut for the 2016 fall season as the league plans expansion from 11 clubs to 13 after the league recently added Miami FC on May 20.
The Englishman had been appointed assistant coach at League Two side Barnet FC in late May/early June and was working with long-time colleague Martin Allen, when it was announced that Puerto Rico FC had been formed and that New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony would be the team's owner.
He said it was a tough decision to informing his new employers of his departure.
"I had seen and followed Puerto Rico FC's story -- I had been there before and was intrigued as to what was going on," Whitbread told the Telegraph. "I was in a job -- I had returned from Bahrain in May/June time and was working throughout the summer trying to get things ready for Barnet."
Whitbread had done a previous stint in Puerto Rico in 2008 as coach of the now defunct Puerto Rico Islanders, who played in various leagues from 2003 until 2012 before going on hiatus after the conclusion of the 2012 NASL season.
"I got an email saying there was interest from Puerto Rico FC and looked into it and things moved swiftly from there," he said.
"The email was from the league. I wanted to know about it straight away and I was put in touch with the management and that's when the dialogue began.
"I'd been there before so my name came up. The league recommended me highly and seen the work I had done there before. I had coached there and done a lot of work in the community.
"When the team was announced, a lot of people on social media asked if I was going back. In my heart I was interested but I didn't push for it.
"Once the interest came there was not much I could do until one morning I woke up to an email saying, 'Congratulations we'd like to offer you the job as head coach of Puerto Rico FC.'
"It was a very difficult conversation to have with Martin Allen but when I told him he said, 'Away you go -- you've got to do what's right for you, it's a great opportunity.' Then I had to have that conversation with the chairman as well and they were both gracious in releasing me.
"I had strong affiliation with Puerto Rico but it wasn't just about going back to the island. I knew I would never get this opportunity again to go to a football club and set it up from scratch."
Whitbread said that he and technical director Neil Sillett Whitbread have been given Anthony's backing to make roster decisions.
"Carmelo trusts us, in full regard, to put together the team," Whitbread said. "It's been fantastic. We've had conversations, we've had meetings, we've sat down with him and picked up ideas he wants to bring to the table. I think from the soccer side, he's leaving it to us.
"That's massive when you get that backing from an owner."
The club will play their home matches at Bayamon's Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium about 10 miles from the capital city of San Juan. The 12,500-seat stadium serves as home base for the Puerto Rico national team.
Puerto Rico's national team management also announced this week that they are in talks to play friendlies with the Portugal and Dominican Republic national teams next March.