Ange Postecoglou will be in uncharted territory this week as talk about his future at Tottenham comes under the microscope.
The decision will ultimately be made by chairman Daniel Levy, while under the counsel of key board members and sporting director Johan Lange.
But there is little understanding of what the inner circle around Levy is thinking, given the Australian manager was supposed to be a long-term appointment.
Postecoglou is 18 months into his four-year deal but Tottenham have form for sacking managers, getting through five in five years since Mauricio Pochettino left the club after a four-year stint.
The environment around Postecoglou is confident that he is not in immediate danger, with a business as usual approach.
He is known to have built a good relationship with Levy and has been aligned on the club’s recruitment strategy of signing young, unproven players who are likely to improve in the future.
One player, whose identity is withheld to protect his position in the dressing room, simply believes the squad lacks depth and that further investment is needed to push towards the top of the table.
The players have given their support to Postecoglou on the record and that positive feeling is being reflected in off the record conversations with BBC Sport.
However, there are mixed feelings among supporters who are generally frustrated; while some want a change of manager, others believe the problems stem from the ownership level.
Key criticisms of Postecoglou centre around his single-minded approach to playing attacking football, which often leaves them vulnerable defensively or outmanoeuvred by more tactically flexible opposition managers.
Another is on his lack of a set-piece coach. Clubs like Arsenal, Brentford and Aston Villa have gained significant success having appointed theirs, with Chelsea now looking to build an entire department focused on how to gain advantage in dead ball situations.
Matches against Rangers in the Europa League and Southampton in the Premier League this week could prove pivotal in deciding Postecoglou’s future.
