Former Southampton boss Nigel Adkins has been out of work for five months now, but that didn't stop him from featuring among the top ten successful coaches in the Championship.
In the following midweek, former Southampton boss Russell Martin will make his Champions League debut. Honestly, that's one manager's dream about to be checked for him, but very few Southampton fans will know it's his first time stepping onto a European stage, either, let alone the most prestigious of them.
Sure, it's a Champions League playoff fixture instead of the group stage, but don't ignore that it was all possible with a playoff itself, albeit a Championship one last summer. This, then versus now comparison is enough to document how far Martin has made it in his tactical career despite a St. Mary's sacking sandwiched in between.
So, it's natural to ask whether he is the greatest Saint ever to make the most impact in the Championship? For the younger Southampton fans, Martin can be a worthy pick but the AI has an undisputed winner waiting in the wings to take this rightful tag.
Adkins must be the role-model for future Saints coaches
According to a Football League World report, last decade's Saints favourite Nigel Adkins holds the clear-cut edge over Martin, and only nine other all-time tactical greats surpass him when it comes to the Championship.
Now, it could be possible that his winter resignation made him drop out of a top seven or top five finish but that won't change Adkins' image among the Saints fanbase.
A wise decision maker on the field, and an equally better risk-taker in transfer markets because only he could sign forgotten Southampton hero Billy Sharp four times and pull incredible results everywhere the duo went.
Yes, the Premier League gave a horrible time to Sharp and Adkins, but the latter did his part to the point where future coaches like Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman never had to worry about answering the relegation-saving questions.