Recent history may suggest otherwise, but Nottingham Forest would have preferred not to appoint Martin O’Neill midway through a season.
That is not a slight on the European Cup winner, it is one on the situation.
The Reds have made a habit of ripping things up and starting again, and the 2018/19 campaign has proved to be no different.
With Aitor Karanka opting to jump before he was pushed, a step back to square one has been taken.
Given his strong ties to the club, O’Neill has managed to move off that spot relatively quickly.
No adjustment to the surroundings has been required.
He has, however, inherited somebody else’s squad and was given a matter of days in which to tweak it.
So while he has not had to get know his working environment, O’Neill has had to learn about his players.
That process takes time and is usually carried out in pre-season.
You know, when the small matter of points and competitive action doesn’t get in the way.
Luxuries
The Northern Irishman has been afforded no such luxuries and has had to make do.
This was nobody’s first choice, but there have been no complaints (ish).
“If there is such a thing as settling in at a football club, we are doing so,” O’Neill said in the Nottingham Post.
“It has been rather hectic and, being serious for a second or two, I came in at a time when the end of the transfer window was around the corner and we had a number of injuries.
“We had to try to do something about that, so we got a few people in. Hopefully those players who have come in can help us.
“It really was hectic at that time. If you could have chosen a time to come in, January with two weeks to go until the deadline would perhaps not have been it.
“But there is real great enjoyment being here, I am loving it.”
Character
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O’Neill is a can-do sort of character and was always going to embrace a position with emotional ties.
He has, however, returned a few smiles to those operating around him.
Positivity is back among a loyal fan base as there have been clear signs of improvement.
From O’Neill’s six games so far, the Reds should have at least four more points.
As it stands, with match officials conspiring against them, they have taken eight from the 18 available.
A decent, if unspectacular return.
That, though, just about sums up the entire campaign for Forest.
Steady enough without pulling up any trees.
The Reds have put themselves and their manager in this situation and we really should be grateful for seeing light at the end of the tunnel.
When another managerial change was made, the roof could easily have caved in.
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