On June 19 2023, a relatively unknown Spanish manager became the first foreign boss of AFC Bournemouth. Fast forward 652 days and that man isn't unknown anymore. In fact, he's so well known right now - he's one of the hottest prospects in the footballing world.
In the last few weeks alone, he's been linked with Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. Last season he masterminded Bournemouth's highest-ever points tally in the Premier League and looks set to better that this year, and he's done it with style, charisma and a huge chunk of modesty.
In case you didn't know who I'm talking about, it is Bournemouth's head coach Andoni Iraola.
It's unsurprising really; he was in the same youth team as Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso, comes from the same Basque region in Spain as Unai Emery and was team-mates with Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and David Silva in the twilight years of his playing career.
With those ingredients, it would be more of a surprise if he wasn't very good.
But just 18 months into his managerial career in England, he's showing his attributes as a coach in the most challenging league of all - and people are sitting up and taking notice.
He would be the first to say that being linked with the Madrid job was far from being a realistic possibility, but it made for some good headlines for a couple of days.
The Tottenham job, though, has more substance, and could be an interesting proposition for the 42-year-old, depending on Ange Postecoglou's future in north London. The big question remains - could they possibly prize Bournemouth's biggest asset away from the south coast?
Possibly. But it won't be easy.
Bournemouth are as relaxed as their boss. He's not the type of manager who wants to jump at the first opportunity; he understands the value of development and time, and he knows he still has a lot of things to learn.
Bournemouth might just be the right place to do it. But let's be honest, one day, he will get his chance to manage a bigger club.
But how has Iraola swanned into the Premier League with his self-dubbed "chaos football" and upset so many of the big hitters? There's one phrase that gets chucked around the Bournemouth dressing room daily and that is: 'let's make it uncomfortable for them'
It's become an unofficial internal motto. Let's put every side under pressure, do things they don't like, press them and run at them. Do anything and everything to "make it uncomfortable for them".
Right now, Iraola seems content. He is loving life at Bournemouth and is comfortable with the team he's built.
The Cherries have been a surprise package this season until recently, but every team has a blip, even the best.
Even the game with Man City in the FA Cup last weekend wasn't a walk in the park. This philosophy and style is working - Arsenal, Man City, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Spurs and Man United have all been beaten, with every single one of them saying it was far from fun.
It's a style that is almost the future of football. It's not about endless passes between the back four or possession for the sake of possession. It's intense, it's fast and it's about having as many shots as possible to put the opposition under pressure.
Bournemouth are third when it comes to the number of shots this season, behind only Liverpool and Man City.
It's a shame Bournemouth's FA Cup run is over; Iraola and the team deserved to achieve something for their season, but it also shows the difference between being good and being the best.
No win in six may be a slight concern, but there's still enough time to create history for Iraola's club, and maybe even finish with some form of European football for next season. The season is still very much alive despite their recent slump.
They've shown so much during the campaign, European football is probably what they deserve, but you don't always get what you deserve in football. This honest group deserves something - a squad that's very together, on and off the pitch.
His biggest strength is his ability to get the best out of players. I don't think there's a single Bournemouth player that's not improved under him, everyone has got better, everyone is worth more than what they paid, and everyone will point to his stewardship as a key factor in their development.
He has some exceptional young coaches around him who really understand the club and English football, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, who are both destined for big things in the game when their time comes.
It's hard to pick out one player who has seen the sharpest rise in performance. Justin Kluivert will be up there. Before Bournemouth, he had played in four different countries, in four different seasons, all on loan.
He's now found a home, a position and established himself as one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League. Iraola found something that others couldn't, which is just one example of him having a different footballing vision from the rest.
He's got a habit of moving players' positions and unearthing something in them that no one had seen before. Wide men become defensive, strikers become wingers.
Milos Kerkez, Antoine Semenyo, Dean Huijsen and Ryan Christie - the list really should include everyone because everyone is better than they were before his arrival.
It's key developments to those players that will catch the attention of owners and sporting directors across the globe - they know their assets will become more valuable under Iraola. That's something worth its weight in gold.
But when it comes to moving on, will Iraola need convincing that Bournemouth is the place to be? No, he'll know that already.
Owner Bill Foley's ambition is crystal clear; the club have just moved into their new state-of-the-art training complex, the stadium is being redeveloped to increase capacity, there are always funds to improve the squad and there are incredible colleagues in commercial and recruitment working at the club. Right now for Iraola, this is the time to stay.
Foley recently said in an interview he wanted to start talks over a new deal for the boss, but Iraola has only ever signed short-term deals. It's the way he likes it, but always says he respects his contracts.
Will that worry Bournemouth? Yes, and most probably no. Their recent succession planning has been very good, with anyone who has left, they've had a plan. Sporting directors Simon Francis and Tiago Pinto, two more astute operators in Bournemouth's impressive collection of employees, will be preparing for every eventuality, regardless of who leaves.
They understand their model and know it involves sales, so it shouldn't be a surprise that a player or even head coach grabs the headlines about a possible departure.
There's no question there will be players leaving this summer, and some hefty profits made, but it will be a real test of the structure of the club about how solid this ship is. Can they replace as they have done, and can they convince everyone the journey is only just beginning?
Whatever happens this season, European football or not, it's clear that this is a club on the up, ready to compete for Europe. There's a sound footing, a wave of optimism and now the footballing world is watching.
They are watching with expectation, and in football, expectation is where the problem lies.
