Lucian Favre is a man of contradictions.
Famed for punching above his weight at Hertha Berlin and Borussia Monchengladbach, there is a prevailing feeling that his time at Borussia Dortmund has been beset by underachievement.
And, despite a proverbial axe hanging over his head all season long, Favre has still led the Black and Yellows to a second placed finish in the Bundesliga – while shattering their all-time seasonal scoring record along the way.
Never before have Dortmund scored 84 goals in a single league campaign.
Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus and Erling Haaland all reached double figures, while Julian Brandt, Thorgan Hazard and Raphael Guerrero have played some of the best football of their careers.
But, nagging away at the back of the mind, there is a nasty feeling that this is despite Favre rather than because of him.
Either way, after months of speculation, Dortmund have confirmed that the softly-spoken Swiss will be handed one more chance to prove he can turn the neutral’s darlings from disappointed bridesmaids into the brides of the Bundesliga.
“We have a good, trustful relationship and will hold talks in due course,” sporting director Michael Zorc told BuliNews on Thursday when asked about extending Favre’s contract.
ESPN suggested in April that the 62-year-old was one of the names on Newcastle’s list to potentially replace Steve Bruce at St James’ Park if that much-discussed Saudi takeover finally gets the go-ahead.
But while Mauricio Pochettino, Max Allegri and Luciano Spalletti are still looking for work, Bruce can rest a little easier in the hottest of hotseats for now.
Because one of the leading candidates appears to have bowed out of the race.
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