Cardiff City's managerial search has thrown a new name into the mix this week, with former Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael shooting up the list of contenders.
City are understood to be looking for an experienced option for their next boss, and Ismael may well be seen as an attractive option, particularly given he's already worked with current interim boss Dean Whitehead and new backroom arrival Jonny Northeast.
The Bluebirds are clearly still mulling over their next move, but sources in the capital haven't ruled out a move for the former West Brom boss, and many may well already be starting to wonder what life might be like should he get the nod.
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Ismael unquestionably made his mark in English football courtesy of a largely successful spell in charge of Barnsley, whom he elevated from relegation candidates into top-six contenders, overseeing a stunning rise to the play-offs that was eventually halted by Steve Cooper's Swansea City in the summer of 2021.
At the heart of his success was a high-energy brand of football that relied on winning possession back as quickly as possible to suffocate opposition sides.
With the ball, they were often direct and to the point. Indeed, those expecting an intricate brand of tiki-taka football will likely be disappointed. Many in south Yorkshire fully admit it wasn't easy on the eye, but it seemed to work, and suited a Barnsley side that simply became horrible to play against.
Northeast, Ismael's head of sports science, was key cog in the machine, and his arrival in the capital will only serve to fuel the fires of speculation. Together, the pair focused on installing a simple philosophy - there might be better sides than us, but no one will run as far, and no one will work as hard.
'Pragmatic' is the word so many use to describe his philosophy, but while it suited Barnsley down to the ground, it might well have been his undoing at West Brom, where the gaze and scrutiny is more intense.
When results are going badly, his is a brand of football many feel is pretty easy to criticise, and that's exactly what happened towards the end of his time with the Baggies.
Joe Chapman, West Brom writer at Birmingham Live explains: "The main reason for fans wanting Ismael to leave was the style of football. It was a rigid 3-4-3, with no room for manoeuvre at all.
"If he made a change, it'd be like for like - even, like at Swansea, when Albion were trailing in the final moments of the game, and he'd throw a forward on in place of a forward, while three centre-halves remained on the pitch.
"That rigidity and stubbornness was a hard sell to supporters who quickly grew frustrated with the predictable substitutions and which rather shackled Albion.
"Things actually started really well. In fact, on Ismael's watch, Albion enjoyed their longest ever unbeaten start to a season in the club's history and by the time they turned up at Cardiff before Mick McCarthy's sacking, they were top of the league.
"The away form fell off a cliff after that, though, and Ismael was never able to arrest the slide after that, even though the home form mostly stood up. Still, despite the grumblings and, by the time January came, the calls for him to go were growing louder, he had Albion in the play-offs."
But one cannot overlook his achievements in south Yorkshire, where he seemed to concoct a real winning blend.
Daryl Dike, who followed Ismael from Oakwell to The Hawthorns, was the perfect battering ram up front, while Alex Mowatt, a player Cardiff were interested in signing at one point, was also a key component on the edge of the box.
Finding two players to fulfil similar roles in this Cardiff squad, which has so far struggled for an attacking spark would be Ismael's biggest challenge were he to get the job, particularly with City still hamstrung by the terms of their recent transfer embargo.
But Ismael is no stranger to working with meagre resources. Indeed, he turned Barnsley into play-off contenders on the back of a net spend of just £800k. Even at West Brom, he was forced to operate under a tight budget, operating mainly in the loan and free transfer market, although he did snap up old pal Dike for around £8m.
"It was clear he had no money before he was appointed but that didn't bother him," Chapman adds. "His mantra is that he needs the 'right player' for his philosophy, rather than the most expensive or flashiest."
Should he be handed the job in the capital, Ismael will already have some idea on what sort of tools he'll be working with this time around.
Callum Robinson made an important contribution under his stewardship at the Baggies, while Cedric Kipre and Romaine Sawyers are also familiar with his methods. It's arguably a decent spine for a team battling relegation, and he may well feel his well placed to get the very best out of them after a turbulent season of struggle.
There are potential pitfalls, of course. Ismael is known for showcasing what can be a fiery temper at times, and some may wonder whether that will result in fireworks when combined with an owner as headstrong as Vincent Tan.
But those familiar with his work paint the picture of man with a very clear idea of what he wants from his players, and well defined way of doing things.
Such clarity might just be the tonic needed to give Cardiff the necessary shot in the arm.
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