Robbie Keane has responded to reports linking him with the Celtic manager's job, insisting he is ready to return to management but only when he is completely ready.
The Irishman has been out of work since leaving Hungarian side Ferencvaros in the summer. He reportedly held talks with Celtic before Martin O'Neill agreed to take charge again after leading the club to a domestic double in his second interim spell last season.
Keane on opportunities
Speaking to Hungarian media, Keane was asked directly about the Celtic links, which have resurfaced. He said he did not want to jump at the first opportunity that came his way.
"If I told you how many opportunities I would have had to go back to work since then, you wouldn't believe it… I was invited to a lot of places. I didn't feel like I had to jump headlong into another challenge. I owe a lot to football, the minimum is that I will only sit on the bench again when I am completely ready for it," he said.
He refused to rule out a return to management in the future, saying: "Anyone who knows me knows exactly what I want. I would like to reach the highest level, but for this you have to successfully take certain steps."
Celtic pressure and fan backlash
Celtic have come under pressure following three defeats in a row before the international break, with a Europa League loss to Keane's old club Ferencvaros sandwiched between defeats to Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup and Scottish Premiership.
The prospect of Keane taking over at Celtic resulted in a backlash from a section of the Hoops support over his stint managing in Israel with Maccabi Tel-Aviv. He won the league in Israel before his move to Budapest.
Rest and relaxation
Keane skipped the match between two of his former clubs - he had a short loan spell at Celtic in 2010 - last month, saying: "I checked the score on my phone that evening, but I didn't see the match. I haven't even been home in Ireland these months, my family and I moved to Spain. The weather is much nicer here, and right now I really just want to relax, nothing else."
Asked if he missed the day-to-day work as a coach, he said: "Absolutely not. Before I left Ferencvaros, I worked almost continuously for the past three years. The coaching profession is such that you have to be sane twenty-four hours a day. Constant stress, tense nerves. Now it's nice to rest."
He added: "I was exhausted. There are periods like that for a coach. Of course, when I decided to coach, I was aware of this. In fact, my family also knows that it is not an easy life for a coach. There are certainly those who can work non-stop, who do not stress about their daily work, I am not like that. Now I have to let go of all the tension."
