I did almost take a job in China because I thought it might be good for me to go abroad and experience what I think the best coaches in the Premier League have had. It helps you learn. You have to evolve.
It's such a crazy league, the Championship. People used to say that to me, and when you are in the Premier League, you don't really take notice. It's a good league; it's tough, and I like it. But the Premier League is where I want to be, with Villa.
The Premier League is a competitive league where strikers can be brought in for x amount of pounds and it might block your pathway as a young player. To go abroad, if it gives you the opportunity to play at the highest level in that country then I think it's a no-brainer.
That was how I felt at non-league. I never looked at it then and said, 'I want to be a Premier League manager one day'. I just wanted to do a good job and see where it could take me.
Of course the Premier League is the most difficult league in the world because it's so even. I think you can't really compare other leagues with the Premier League. In the Premier League, every team can beat every team, and in football, that's something where you can have surprises.
I have good memories of my visit to China. It was a beautiful experience for me. I learned a lot of things. I hope Chinese football is still evolving, that they have the chance to sign other players to develop the league. We did our part of the job by bringing what we had to bring to Chinese football.
While I could still play in the Premier League, I really did not want to go abroad. I was not thinking about winding down my career.
For me, it was a dream to play in the Premier League. I always wanted to be here because this league is very good, it has very good teams, and Manchester United is the best team in England.
I don't think you sign a four-year contract in the Premier League and then go to China at the age of 26.
I believe that the Premier League is the best league in the world, and having played in the Premier League for such a long time, it is to my advantage, and I know what to expect.
Messi doesn't have to do it in the Premier League to prove himself. The Champions League is the ultimate club competition. If he was in the Premier League, he'd be the best player by some distance.
I definitely need to learn how to take compliments, because it was very weird to go from sitting in my house all of the time to having hundreds of people coming up to me and congratulating me and telling me I did a good job.
It's crazy because I did say to myself at the age of 16 that I want to be in the Premier League at 24. When I got to the Premier League at 24 with Palace, there were tears in my eyes.
You don't want to have a good couple of years, come through the Championship, have a good first year in the Premier League and then not play in the Premier League for another year or so because that is a backward step.
Of course it would be nice to go to another Champions League final and hopefully win it again one day, but for me, the Premier League is the best trophy to have.
They say the Premier League is best league in the world. Or Roy Keane says we are brainwashed into believing it. He might be right. But I can definitely say it's the most entertaining league.
You can go anywhere in the Premier League and it's going to be tough. Every single game is so tough. So I think if you make it, and you're lucky enough to play in the Premier League, I don't think there's a need to go anywhere.