BRIAN Kidd is ready to return to football after winning his fight against a life-threatening illness.

The former United assistant manager had to quit as England senior coach shortly before the 2004 Euro championship after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Now he wants to return to work. He's fit, healthy and eager. All he needs is a gentle push in the right direction.

"Well I'm certainly fit all right," he laughs. "That much is certainly true. Last Saturday morning I took the missus a cup of tea in bed and left the house to go running. And three hours later I was still running. In fact I'm pounding the streets of north Manchester every day of the week. The neighbours must think I'm mad.

"I don't want to talk about regaining my health because I don't want people thinking I'm boasting about my recovery. All I will say is I am terribly grateful that the wheels turned the right way for me in the months following my operation.

"I wasn't put off management in any way by my experiences at Blackburn Rovers. I actually think I did a pretty good job during my time at Ewood Park even if the results didn't bear that out.

"But my forte is coaching and that is the sort of position I am looking for right now. I've had one or two offers this past year but, geographically, they haven't suited me. I must admit I get a bit homesick if I travel beyond Ardwick Green. I don't really want the sort of job which would take me too far away from my family and my roots. I love Manchester and everything about it and I don't mind who knows it.

Benefit

"The good thing is that I'm fit and healthy again and, as the signs outside the shop say, I'm open for business. I do believe that young players can benefit from my years in football at various levels.

"Money cannot buy experience. I just need another door to open for me. Coaching players, young or old, is what I'm best at and I would love to get back into the game in that capacity.

"At the very least being involved at a club again would prevent me from having to go galloping around the streets before the birds are even awake."

If Kidd's vanity came anywhere near to matching his talent, there is every chance that today he would already be one of the most sought-after men in football.

The problem with Collyhurst-born "Kiddo" isn't so much that he prefers to hide his light under a bushel. The problem is he hides it so well. He has not one ounce of ego. Not a trace of self-importance.

So let me ignite that light for him and give you a taste of what he's achieved in his 56 years on this planet. He became a European Cup winner with United on his 19th birthday.

After a decade at Old Trafford he moved away from his beloved Manchester and joined Arsenal. It was no great surprise that he couldn't settle down in the south and in the mid-70s Kidd returned home but this time to wear the blue of City where he scored 57 goals in 127 appearances before being sold - crazily - to Everton.

Talent

With his playing career behind him Kidd returned to Old Trafford to work in community football and later in youth development where he laid the foundations for the torrent of young talent.

He became Fergie's right-hand man, turned down the opportunity to take charge at Maine Road, but accepted the manager's job at Blackburn Rovers.

The cold statistics might indicate that Kidd's brief reign at Ewood Park was unsuccessful. He resigned after only a year in office following relegation. But statistics sometimes don't tell the full story. To a man, the Rovers players were devastated when Kidd left.

He was soon back in football, as youth coach at Leeds where he unearthed youngsters like James Milner and Aaron Lennon who are now earning rave reviews at Aston Villa and Spurs.

He was then appointed senior England coach by Sven-Goran Eriksson. It was a position he would still be occupying but for an interruption to his career which he was powerless to prevent.

That interruption is another subject which Kidd is reluctant to discuss. He developed cancer from which he has made a full and complete recovery.

His reluctance to discuss his illness and his recovery is absolutely typical of the man. He doesn't want to upset the families of those who have fought the same illness and lost the battle.

Can Brian Kidd make a comeback in management? Have your say.