World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi says he is ready to get back into management as he waits for the right offer to present itself.
The 67-year-old has taken a step back from the game since leaving his role as coach of Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande in November 2014, after guiding them to AFC Champions League glory and three Chinese Super League titles.
However, Lippi, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, says the hunger to return to management is growing and he is keen to get back into the dugout.
"When I was in China, I said that I no longer wanted to work in football. But as soon as I got home, I realised that it wasn't football that I was sick of, it was being far from home and returning once every five or six months," he told RAI.
"I now have that desire for football again and if an opportunity arises, great. If not, then it's still fine."
Lippi, a five-time Scudetto winner with Juventus, has been touted as a potential successor to Rudi Garcia, whose position as coach of Roma is reportedly not so secure.
"I categorically refuse to talk about a club where a serious professional is already working," Lippi said. "I'm not going to talk about it because it is absolutely not right to do so."
Lippi is currently observing Italian football from the outside until the chance comes for him to return to the game.
He took in last week's top-of-the-table Serie A clash between Napoli and Inter Milan, and after seeing the Naples club run out 2-1 winners he believes they are capable of winning their first title since 1990.
"Against Inter, Napoli gave their latest signal of intent, and it is not the first either," Lippi said. "They have now provided confirmation, but I also thought Inter gave a good signal too, with the reaction late on, despite being a man down.
"Napoli are a team who play well and have great quality, not only up front. [Gonzalo Higuain] is in such good form. He's a super champion and is as important to them as [Lionel] Messi is to Barcelona and [Cristiano] Ronaldo to Real Madrid."