Bulgarian football legend Hristo Stoichkov, sacked by Spanish club Celta Vigo earlier this season, hoped to make a return to management in May, he told Spanish daily 20 Minutos in an interview.

"I am busy with my football school, which has 500 children, I watch a lot of matches, travel and hope to be back on the bench in May," Stoichkov told the daily.

"Right now, I am not looking for a job, I just want to enjoy football. I want to analyse what happened at Celta, what I did wrong and make sure I don't repeat the same mistakes."

He was certain that a new opportunity would come along, but admitted that it was unlikely the job would be in Bulgaria.

"They love me more here in Barcelona, because no-one is a prophet in their own land. When I go to Bulgaria, the people are very jealous and envious. They do not understand that I was a footballing idol, like they do here."

"But I do not care, I live here in Catalonia, where I am loved."

Stoichkov came under intense criticism from Bulgarian media and fans for the national team's performance in World Cup and European Championship qualifying, sparking also a massive row with Romanian journalists after making disparaging comments about them.

He quit as Bulgaria's head coach, surprising everyone, in March 2007 after a goalless draw at home with Albania put a big dent in Bulgaria's hopes of qualifying for Euro'08, only to be unveiled as Celta's manager on April 10 2007.

But he could not keep the club in the Spanish top flight and was sacked in October after a bumpy start to the 2007/08 season, having reportedly sparked unrest in the dressing room with his coaching methods, or lack thereof.

Of 16 games with him in charge of the club, Celta won seven and drew one, losing the rest.