Wales manager Chris Coleman has said that his career got back on track after taking the advice of Sir Alex Ferguson to manage in the Greek second division.
Coleman had been out of work after being sacked by Coventry City in May 2010, following their relegation from the Championship, but joined Greek club Larissa in May 2011 after consulting former Manchester United manager Ferguson.
The Welshman was then appointed as his country's national team manager in January 2012, replacing the late Gary Speed, and has gone on to lead the team into the Euro 2016 semifinals.
Speaking to British media ahead of Wales's semifinal against Portugal, Coleman said: "My next job [after Coventry], four years after managing in the Premier League [with Fulham], was managing in the second division in Greece on the advice of Alex Ferguson. He'd told me to take whatever came up, that I shouldn't be out of work for more than a year, so I did."
The former Wales player believes it is a tough job market for managers, meaning that it was worth taking the risk of moving to Greece.
He added: "There are a lot of good managers out of work because there are only so many jobs. If you get it wrong two jobs running, it's hard to get a third one. That's generally the rule.
"I got it wrong at Coventry. I could give you sob stories but, if I'm honest, I should have done better. Then I was out of work for a year.
"A year out was good, I was thinking about my approach in and outside the job. But it was still the second division in Greece. It was one of the best things I've ever done because you find out a lot about yourself out of a comfortable environment. You're asked different questions and you have to have the answers," he said.
"If you're working in England or Scotland, you know all the faces. In a different country, it's a whole new ball game. I'd do it again, definitely. I'd love another chance to go and work abroad because it made me better."