Standing in the Rajamangala National Stadium in Thailand last July, Erik ten Hag was under no illusions about the trophy in his hands or the job on his plate.
Not surprisingly, Ten Hag was not getting carried away after being presented with the Bangkok Century Cup after beating an undercooked Liverpool 4-0.
The Dutchman knew the scale of the task in front of him, having become the sixth coach since Sir Alex Ferguson to accept the challenge of reviving the slumbering giant of English football.
The Cristiano Ronaldo saga was in full swing and heading for its messy conclusion.