Igor Tudor has kicked things off at Tottenham Hotspur, ready to take charge on Sunday as Arsenal pay their neighbours a visit in the Premier League.
There's no question that the Thomas Frank era (such as it was) left a lot to be desired, and the Croatian coach must prioritise an escape from this lowly position in the Premier League, 16th after 26 matches and only five points ahead of West Ham United in the relegation zone.
Whether the 47-year-old is in charge next season is anyone's guess, having taken over on an interim basis until the end of the season.
However, if he is going to shake off a reputation as a short-term fix of a manager, Tudor will need to strengthen Tottenham's porous backline and revive the likes of Cristian Romero.
Why Tudor needs to revive Cristian Romero
After Tottenham Hotspur salvaged a draw against Manchester City, Romero appeared to admonish the board, saying it was "disgraceful" that Spurs only had 11 fit senior players.
The 27-year-old, Spurs' club captain, didn't help his case when his hot-headed challenge on Casemiro saw him sent off for the second time this season. He is still serving his suspension.
This has laid Tottenham's defensive concerns bare. While Micky van de Ven continues to stand as a pillar of strength, Radu Dragusin has flattered to deceive beside him in recent weeks, given a 4/10 match rating last week as Spurs lost at home to Newcastle United, a defeat which led to Frank's sacking.
The hard truth is that Romero looks like he wants to leave. His recent comments and subsequent actions certainly suggest as much. As for Dragusin, he's simply not good enough and must be sold this summer.
If the Argentina international is truly headed for the exit at the end of the season, succession planning must start. Luckily, Spurs already have a young defender in their ranks who is starting to earn some chances to impress, and Tudor must continue to promote him oer the next few months.
Spurs already have their future Romero replacement
Tottenham already have a top defensive talent sharpening his skills out on loan in Hamburg. He is Luka Vuskovic, with content creator Fiago claiming that he's "the best 18-year-old center back I've ever seen in my life."
But Vuskovic isn't the only up-and-comer who could become a star down N17 in the future.
Indeed, Tottenham have integrated 17-year-old centre-back Jun'ai Byfield into first-team action over the past few months, the teenager making his professional debut during last month's Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund.
The Lilywhites have a lot of young talent on the up, and Byfield appears to be ahead of the curve, entrusted with a senior promotion even with Frank's tenure spinning out of control.
Indeed, Tottenham already have one of the youngest squads in the Premier League, and while ENIC Group will be looking to add more experience over the coming windows, promoting a talented, homegrown prospect in Byfield would hardly be a bad thing.
Described as a "very promising" young centre-back by Spurs insider John Wenham, Byfield is regarded as an elegant, ball-playing centre-half who's not afraid to get stuck in and put 110% into the defensive side of the defensive game.
Moreover, he's hardly lacking in confidence, already having asserted his desire to grow into his skin and become the club captain in the future.
In this, he could one day prove the perfect upgrade on Romero, and the time to bring him into the fold is now. With three senior appearances under his belt already in the past month, Byfield has to play even more.
Romero is the most talented defender at Tottenham, and as the captain, he is someone his peers look up to. But it's hard to argue that he's set a good example this season. With his future looking ever more likely to lie away from N17, Tudor must start planning for the future.
While Byfield is still young and maturing physically, he's already shown that he has the talent to become a key figure down N17. With Kevin Danso sidelined with injury and Dragusin looking wobbly since returning to the side from his long injury layoff, there's every reason for Tudor to hand the youngster some time on the pitch to prove that he is indeed worthy of the armband in the future.
This, of course, relies on the stand-in head coach's success in steering the club away from the relegation zone.