Russell Martin probably hasn't had many weeks as good as this one.
Probably not in management, anyway. Certainly not at Swansea City.
Humiliating your big rivals on their own patch is enough to send morale skyrocketing on its own, but the reasons for positivity in SA1 go well beyond a comfortable derby win. Indeed, the Swans are enjoying perhaps their most impressive spell so far under Martin's tenure.
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Some critics wondered if Tuesday's victory over play-off chasing Millwall would be a bit like after the Lord Mayor's show. Could Swansea regain the levels of energy and intensity that saw them so easily trounce their south Wales rivals on Saturday?
The answer at The Den felt emphatic. Indeed, it was a win that was just as impressive.
At the heart of their success in south London, a goal from the increasingly lethal Joel Piroe. The Dutchman providing a predatory finish just after the break, pouncing on Murray Wallace's heavy touch to net his 18th goal of the season.
"If you want it to fall to anyone, it's him," a beaming Martin said after the game. "He's so clinical with both feet and a brilliant technician, but the most important thing he has is the right mentality when he gets around goal. Composure, calm, he just focuses on his technique, takes a breath, relaxes, something that all top strikers possess."
Piroe's goal tally means he has now done what was probably unthinkable at this stage last season, surpassing the heroics of the previously indispensable Andre Ayew, whose influence on his team's play-off charge always loomed large. Ayew was allegedly referred to as 'the king' by team-mates last season, a nickname that laid out his importance to the Swans in no uncertain terms.
The away leg at Barnsley in the play-off semi-finals was a prime example of his ability to swing an otherwise ugly game in his side's favour with a sprinkling of magic. His subsequent departure nevertheless felt inevitable, and the task of replacing him must have felt almost impossible given Swansea's meagre transfer kitty.
Those who brought Piroe to the club deserve a huge amount of praise in that respect, although when he arrived, he did so under little fanfare. Some even wrote him off completely. But after arriving just before Steve Cooper's departure, he has since emerged as a vital cog in Martin's increasingly well-oiled footballing machine.
Ironically, he is probably the clinical out-and-out number nine that Cooper so desperately craved during the latter stages of his tenure. The sort of striker that, and whisper this quietly, could potentially lead a team to promotion.
Encouragingly, it seems he's no intention of taking his foot off the gas just yet, either. “My target is to try and get to 20 – for sure, I want to reach 20," he said after the win at The Den.
"When you come here and you know you’re trying to replace someone like Andre Ayew, you want to try and match what he did so to score more is wonderful."
On current form, you wouldn't bet against him getting to that target, as Martin looks to ensure his team finish on a high ahead of what could be a defining season in his Swansea reign next term. Some pundits have already backed Swansea to be there or thereabouts when it comes to the top six this time next year, such is the impression Piroe and his team-mates are making right now.
An important summer awaits. Then again, the success of any transfer window may well hinge on who they manage to keep as much as who they can bring in.
This is a club that unfortunately has a history in selling off the family silver, and Piroe is looking like an increasingly valuable financial asset. The sight of his name in FourFourTwo's list of best players outside the Championship will have subsequently sparked conflicting emotions of pride and concern for many Swans fans. You can read that list in full here.
But you don't make such a mark on the Championship without getting noticed, and it's surely only a matter of time before clubs higher up the foodchain test Swansea's resolve. Daniel James, Joe Rodon, Oli McBurnie and Connor Roberts have all been sold in the last few windows, and fans would be forgiven for feeling a few little niggles of unease at Piroe's progress.
“Of course, you always want to reach the top. As a professional player, that should be everyone’s ambition," the man himself admitted when quizzed on speculative links with Leicester City in January.
“But I just want to enjoy the moment I am in right now. Swansea is perfect for me because I am doing what I always wanted.
"I’ve settled really well in Swansea. The people here who work for the club, everybody around it. They have welcomed me really well and the same goes for the players. It has made it feel like home, even in such a short time. Even the weather is not too bad at the minute so I cannot complain.”
Many will hope that Piroe can achieve his Premier League dream with the Swans. But ultimately, every player has their price. Flynn Downes is another that might be on the end of some admiring glances this summer. The 23-year-old has recently attracted interest from Leeds and was simply sensational during the South Wales derby win. Like the Dutchman, he too seems destined for the Premier League at some point.
Keeping both of them on board would be a huge boost ahead of the new campaign, and perhaps send out a strong message this is a team genuine about taking on the rest of the league. Further building is clearly needed, but keeping the solid foundations of this campaign intact will be just as much of a priority for the Swans as they draw up their summer blueprint over the coming weeks.
