It was towards the end of October when Ange Postecoglou and Andoni Iraola enjoyed and endured results that looked likely to define the futures of two of the Premier League’s newest faces.
Bournemouth slumped to a 2-1 home defeat by Wolves on the Saturday, a sixth loss in a winless, hapless, opening nine games for Iraola.
He was in the relegation zone, second from bottom and beaten by the manager, Gary O’Neil, who he replaced after a brutal summer sacking, despite leading the Cherries to survival.
The air was thick with the smell of a decision backfiring.