David Moyes has come in from the cold.
Seven months after his miserable tenure at Manchester United came to an end, he has been named the new coach of La Liga side Real Sociedad and already the jokes have started.
On social media, publicity hungry bookmakers quickly deployed their best photoshopped images and snide digs.
They were joined by angry United fans, contemptuous Liverpool supporters and anyone else who wanted to put the boot in on a man attempting to revive his career. It's all so tiresome.
Whatever else Moyes may lack, he isn't short of masculine anatomy.
This is a bold move, a step outside of the comfort zone into one of the most testing environments in European football.
British managers rarely leave the country, they struggle with the language and the culture, they tend to prefer to take smaller, safer jobs.
Moyes is braver than that and far from mocking him, he should be congratulated for this decision.
He should draw strength from the knowledge that Spain has proved a prosperous land for many of the British managers who were courageous enough to move there.
Sir Bobby Robson won the Spanish Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup with Barcelona in 1997 and was voted European Manager of the Year.
HIGHEST REGARD
Terry Venables spent three years with the Catalan giants, won La Liga in 1985 and came within a penalty shootout of landing the European Cup.
Londoner Vic Buckingham was a legend in Spain, a manager deemed to be decades ahead of his time and a man held in the highest regard by no less an authority than Johan Cruyff.
Moyes would do well to steer clear of the example set by the club's last British manager.
Welshman Chris Coleman was late for a press conference at Sociedad, claiming that his washing machine had leaked and ruined his flat.
This came as interesting news to one journalist whose daughter had sent him a text message to say that she'd met Coleman in a San Sebastian night club in the small hours of that morning.
Coleman lasted just seven months.
But Moyes is hardly the sort of man to be spotted in a nightclub at 5am.
He is hardworking, dedicated and he has done enough in his career to suggest that he has a chance of success in Spain.
And he will take over at a good time.
Sociedad are 15th in La Liga and have won only two matches all season, one of which was against Real Madrid, but they have a good squad and they are playing below their natural level.
If Moyes can just tighten them up and find a way to improve a miserable scoring rate of just over one per game, his effect on the team will be immediately evident.
There are a number of players available to him who can help on that front.
Former Arsenal man Carlos Vela never made the grade in England, but it wasn't for the lack of natural talent.
La Liga suits him far better and he has scored freely since he arrived in 2011.
Sergio Canales has no shortage of ability in the midfield and centre back Inigo Martinez was thought to be on Moyes' shopping list at Old Trafford.
Sociedad have had an eventful few years. Relegated for the first time in their history in 2007, they returned three years later.
Under the leadership of French coach Philippe Montanier, they finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League where they met Moyes' United in the group stages.
But Montanier fell out with the board and departed for Rennes, leaving his assistant Jagoba Arrasate at the helm.
A late rally saw them claim a thoroughly respectable seventh-placed finish last season, but a slow start spelled the end for the Spaniard.
MODEST RESOURCES
All of which leaves Moyes in an interesting position.
This is a club of modest resources, but without serious debt and there aren't many clubs in Spain that can say that.
There are good players in the squad who have tasted the Champions League and would like to return there.
If he is given time to settle, if he surrounds himself with the right people and if he can get the message out to his players without confusion, he won't have to do that much to look like a success.
If he can return Sociedad to European football, his reputation will finally be restored. And then who will dare to make jokes about him?
MOYES' FIRST FIVE FIXTURES
NOV 23:
Deportivo la Coruna (A) (17th in La Liga)
NOV 30:
Elche (H) (18th in La Liga)
DEC 5:
Real Oviedo (A) (3rd in Segunda B)
DEC 8:
Villarreal (A) (8th in La Liga)
DEC 15:
Athletic Bilbao (H) (11th in La Liga)
HIS RECORD
MANCHESTER UNITED (2013-14)
Games: 51
Wins: 27
Draws: 9
Losses: 15
Win percentage: 53 per cent
EVERTON (2002-13)
Games: 516
Wins: 217
Draws: 139
Losses: 160
Win percentage: 42 per cent
PRESTON NORTH END (1998-2002)
Games: 234
Wins: 113
Draws: 58
Losses: 63
Win percentage: 48 per cent
npsports@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Nov 12, 2014.
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