As Newcastle United's players begin to jet off to each and every corner of the globe for some well-earned rest and relaxation, Eddie Howe is surely in need of a short break himself after guiding the Magpies to a top four finish and the Carabao Cup final this season.
Though if you know the Newcastle manager, you'll know the 45-year-old head coach doesn't usually afford himself too much of a celebratory pat on the back after achieving success on Tyneside. Instead Howe will no doubt already be plotting and scheming as to how he can again elevate and improve his north east outfit ahead of a huge campaign next time around.
All is well on Tyneside at present but there are minor niggling issues Howe will want to iron out when he returns to the club's Benton base later this summer.
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Decide on transfer strategy
The main debate among Newcastle fans heading into the summer months is how many new additions need to arrive at St James' Park between now and the end of the upcoming window.
Howe insists he wants small changes with two or three arriving through the door. "As I've said, it won't be a lot of numbers and a lot of big moves in. Hopefully it'll be the right two or three players to make us better," he said before the Chelsea game.
That admission caught some fans off guard with a section of the Geordie faithful hopeful of multiple signings this summer to add depth to Howe's ranks. Many point to the FA Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday as an example of Newcastle lacking in key areas beyond the starting XI.
Howe must decide whether to stick with his public declaration or change course as the window begins.
Sign a top class midfielder
Where it's two or twenty new signings on the horizon this summer, one of them needs to be a central midfielder. Newcastle's trio in the middle have excelled this season and dropping one or more to the bench next term will be tricky - but a new deep-lying midfielder feels like a priority in the coming months.
Allowing Bruno Guimaraes to flourish further up the position needs to be high on the agenda with the Brazilian struggling to show his abilities fully when deployed in a deeper role. The sudden January exit of Jonjo Shelvey has left a gap to fill for Howe when the window rolls around.
Shift the deadwood
To strengthen as required, Howe needs to offload some of the players with no future at Newcastle. The Toon boss insists he wants to keep '95 per cent' of his current crop together for what promises to be a gruelling campaign next term but a few players are facing uncertainty over their next step.
Ryan Fraser looks to have no future after his demotion to the U21 squad, while Jamal Lewis has struggled for minutes. There will also be suitors for the likes of Javier Manquillo, Jeff Hendrick and Isaac Hayden.
Allan Saint-Maximin doesn't fall into the deadwood category but has struggled to hold down a place in Howe's plans recently. It feels as though the Frenchman is one of just a few sellable assets in Newcastle's squad.
Decide Isak's best position
Howe had the luxury of choosing between two in-form strikers towards the business end of the season and was forced into trying Alexander Isak down the left so Callum Wilson could start through the middle.
Isak played well out on the flank, showcasing his quick feet and impressive dribbling ability. However, the Swede's best position remains as an out and out striker. The Magpies ended the season strongly but the feeling remains that it needs to be one or the other, rather than both.
Wilson has struggled with injuries in years gone by and will likely benefit from having a strike partner on his level to take the load off throughout the campaign.
Collective harmony?
Howe has galvanised a group who were staring relegation in the face 18 months ago and turned them into winners. There is a feeling of equality among the first-team squad due to Newcastle not breaking their wage structure to bring in superstars too early.
As the likes of Bruno, Trippier and Isak pen new deals for more money, Howe will have more scope to sign players who have demand premium wage packets. For now, however, he must continue to keep the mood in the dressing mood harmonious.
Howe has proved more than capable of ensuring morale doesn't dip, complacency doesn't set in and everyone fights for each other. Fingers crossed for more of the same next term.
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