The test is much more a slow burner compared to the instant rush of stepping up to the spot during a penalty shoot-out.
But there are nevertheless few scenarios in football that require a greater holding of nerve than the transfer window.
Often months and sometimes years can pass between first determining a potential new signing and the player finally putting pen to paper. And it's by no means unusual for hundreds of hours of groundwork to have ultimately been wasted when a deal collapses or the target chooses to go elsewhere.
Recent times are testament to that for Liverpool, who first missed out on Aurelien Tchouameni last year and were forced to end their interest in Jude Bellingham back in April. Both instead ended up at Real Madrid, with the Spanish side having committed approaching £200million in transfer fees on the duo.
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The Reds at least wasted no time this summer in beginning to address their midfield shortcomings - both in terms of quality and pure numbers - by bringing in Alexis Mac Allister having triggered a release clause his his Brighton contract believed to be around £35m.
However, having one World Cup winner in the bag just days after the transfer window has officially opened simply hasn't been enough for some, who want Liverpool to have already signed, sealed and delivered at least a few more players.
Transfer business, though, simply doesn't work like that. Getting one deal over the line takes time, let alone a multitude. Jurgen Klopp mentioned towards the end of last season he ideally wanted his main targets to have been acquired within six or seven weeks of the campaign finishing, which essentially meant by the start of pre-season on July 8.
We are only now reaching the halfway mark towards that date. And looking around Liverpool's Premier League rivals, while there has been plenty of transfer tittle-tattle, as of Friday afternoon none had thus far completed a major deal this summer.
The Reds, then, have something of a head start in what is expected to be a hectic post-World Cup season window, the early deal for Mac Allister showing any prospective signings the squad evolution continues with a player who had been courted by both Manchester United and Chelsea.
There are obvious reasons for Liverpool having to wait a little while for their next transfer. Jorg Schmadtke, who replaced Julian Ward as sporting director earlier in the month, is still getting his feet under the table at Anfield, with Ward having been a key driver in the Mac Allister deal.
Then there's the fact many of the midfielders the Reds are now considering are preparing for the UEFA U21 European Championships in Romania and Georgia next week. That doesn't preclude any deals being made, but it's significantly more difficult when the player is in tournament mode. Distractions are often not welcomed. And the rest of the leading players are on international duty regardless.
A time will come when Liverpool's rivals will being spending and strengthening their squads. Should that happen before the Reds have gone deeper into their summer recruitment drive, there will undoubtedly be angst among sections of the fanbase. Then it becomes a question of whether they trust Schmadtke, Klopp and, most importantly, Fenway Sports Group to make and facilitate the correct moves. All that matters is having the new players in place before the transfer deadline passes, and preferably before the start of the season.
Aside from the purchase in 2017 of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - when the Reds tested Arsenal's resolve until shortly before deadline day - Liverpool have shied away from last-minute deals, their reluctance justified by the failures of such signing Ben Davies and on-loan captures Ozan Kabak and Arthur Melo. The recruitment model works best when taking a long-term view.
The Reds have previously shown the value of patience and holding their nerve in the transfer window. And, with plenty more business expected over the coming weeks, it's important they do so again.
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