HARRISON, N.J. – It took over eight months, but former Red Bulls boss Mike Petke was finally ready to return to Red Bull Arena.

Or as he calls it, “home.”

The Red Bulls folk hero returned to Harrison on Saturday night, taking in a warm reception from the New York faithful as the latest “20 in 20” team honoree just prior to the Red Bulls, Crew encounter.

“At this moment, over the last three or four months, I am absolutely fine. I am over everything,” he told reporters prior to his pre game appearance. “I am at ease. It’s not like I got fired from a team in Kalamazoo, Michigan that I had no connection to, you know? So obviously it was a little more difficult. The process was a little longer.”

Petke has only stepped foot in Red Bull Arena once since his firing — a 20 minute cameo appearance for ESPN during April’s LA Galaxy encounter. His absence, Petke said, was a calculated move. After all, his unceremonious dismissal led to a heavy dose of vitriol from the Red Bull fans, ranging from a raucous Town Hall to an anti-Red Bull billboard campaign just outside the doors of Red Bull Arena.

“All the things went on initially with the fans and the supporters, it was uncomfortable for me and I appreciated it, respected it and love it that people I respect, respect me enough to “have my back,” it was uncomfortable for me,” he said. “I didn’t want to come back here, I didn’t want to sit with the South Ward yet and be a distraction to the product on the field.”

As team Sporting Director Ali Curtis said, Petke acknowledged that the team reached out to him some “5-6 months ago” to hash out their relationship and perhaps touch on the 20 in 20 honors. Petke, however, said he “didn’t respond back” because he wasn’t ready.

Even on Saturday, as he professed his desire to return, Petke also acknowledged that his appearance in Harrison could also bring a response that he hoped to mute.

“I am not here to be a distraction. That’s why I made sure there were certain things that were going to go down today that weren’t going to be a distraction a little bit in the background outside of the infield ceremony, and I want to enjoy it and thats it,” he said.

Since his dismissal, Petke has been spending time with his family while honing his experiences as a coach — a position he once again hopes to hold.

“I’ve enjoyed my time broadcasting, but when I look down t the field, I look at the bench first and I want to be there,” he said.

Even away from the club, Petke has caught nearly all of the team’s matches this season. “They are doing very well,” Petke said of Jesse Marsch’s Red Bulls. “They are very organized. They are a team that have their destiny in their own hand for lack of a better cliche.

As for his career, Petke says, “It’s been the best ride.”

“Hopefully its not over, my soccer career, but so far, it has been the best ride. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”