And so begins yet another crucial week in the life of Cardiff City.
At the time of writing, the Bluebirds find themselves in a state of purgatory, somewhat, with big decisions yet to be made and plans for the summer ahead to be finalised.
Manager Sabri Lamouchi, whose contract runs out in June, met with Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan at the end of last week. Tan was in London in co-ordination with the Malaysian royal family, who were over for the coronation of King Charles III.
Tan met with Cardiff City Women's team at the Malaysian High Commission in Belgravia last Wednesday, to congratulate them for their fantastic season in which they won the league and cup, before meeting Lamouchi the following day.
It is understood that nothing in terms of a formal offer was tabled over the course of the weekend, but we understand the next few days are pivotal in deciding Cardiff's future either way.
Should Lamouchi, who accomplished his mission of keeping the club in the Championship, agree to a new deal, then the wheels will start turning very quickly. Cardiff can begin to move on their transfer targets, some of which have already been drawn up in anticipation of the Frenchman staying on. They can also then release the retained list for both the academy and the first team.
Plans for the summer can then be rubber-stamped. Pre-season trips and friendly matches can be booked in and Cardiff can then start planning meaningfully next season.
Alternatively, if an agreement cannot be reached between the manager and the club, then things get a little more complicated.
It would mean Cardiff are on the lookout for their fifth manager since the appointment of Mick McCarthy in January 2021. Having such a rapid turnover in managers makes it nigh-on impossible to formulate a long-term strategy on the pitch and performances and players suffer as a consequence – as we have seen over the last two years.
It might also mean starting from scratch with regards to transfers, weeks behind rival clubs who already have their ducks in a row, so to speak, when it comes to the players they want to bring in over the next few months.
Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman, however, has previously stated the club are hopeful that Lamouchi will stay on as manager next season.
Speaking after the final home game, a defeat by Huddersfield Town, Dalman said: "The next question is where we go from here. None of us want to go through a year like that again. It was frustrating, disappointing, extremely hard work - and I'm normally an optimist.
"What we will do is talk imminently to Sabri, ask how he sees things, listen to his feedback. He's greatly impressed us and I think he will stay. Put it this way, I've no reason to believe his thoughts on the future are any different to ours."
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