Rafa Benitez has admitted he was surprised not to have been approached about a return to Liverpool.
The Spaniard left the Merseyside club by mutual consent during the summer of 2010 after a poor season saw his team finish seventh.
But having previously guided the club to FA Cup and Champions League success, he believes the Anfield hierarchy could have looked his way when they dispensed with Kenny Dalglish in May.
Brendan Rodgers was instead the man to take the helm but the former Swansea boss has endured a difficult start with just one point from three games.
"It was strange not to be approached," Benitez told the Irish Independent.
"We know the club, the players, the academy and we have even more experience now...the fans were positive about the idea.
"We used to play so many important games that it seemed it was normal and it wasn't."
