Almost two months on from the sacking of Omer Riza, Cardiff City finally found their man, but what comes next?
The Bluebirds have appointed Brian Barry-Murphy as their new boss ahead of their first campaign in the third tier since 2002-03.
The former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has been well-known to the Bluebirds hierarchy, although it remains to be seen whether or not he was first choice for the role.
Following a protracted managerial hunt which included the likes of Nathan Jones, Aaron Ramsey, Ian Evatt and more recently Des Buckingham being touted as contenders for the role over recent weeks, Cardiff can at long last get cracking with their preparations for the League One season.
But as Barry-Murphy prepares to face the media for the first time on Wednesday, significant questions remain at a club that endured an abysmal finish to last season.
The biggest is that while the new boss will support young talent, will the club support their own manager?
Will they back him with what so many of his predecessors have been denied - time, money and hired expertise.
The squad will need plenty of work during the transfer window following the news that Ramsey, Jamilu Collins, Raheem Conte, Anwar El Ghazi, Kieron Evans, Dimitrios Goutas and Yakou Méïté have all left the club.
The Bluebirds also recently confirmed they remain in discussions with club captain Joe Ralls and Andy Rinomhota.
But with Cardiff requiring something of a reset following relegation from the Championship, they will hope Barry-Murphy can be the man to help better utilise the club's academy players as they bid to smoothly adjust during what will be a period of significant transition.
READ MORE: Vincent Tan Insists Brian Barry-Murphy Was Always The Right Man For Cardiff City
Isaak Davies has been hugely unfortunate when it comes to injuries, while a glut of managers have been unable to get the best out of Wales international Rubin Colwill on a consistent basis.
Add in the likes of Ronan Kpakio, Dylan Lawlor, Cian Ashford and Luey Giles - who have all been involved in the first team Wales set-up under Craig Bellamy of late - and there is certainly a strong base for Barry-Murphy to work from.
The 46-year-old received praise for steering Rochdale through choppy waters, although his side were ultimately relegated from League One in his second season as boss.
He gave academy products - including Fabio Tavares, Luke Matheson, Aaron Morley and Kwadwo Baah - regular game time.
He also showed a real craft in the loan market to recruit the likes of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez from Brighton and Wales left-back Rhys Norrington-Davies from Sheffield United.
He had undoubtedly gained plenty of admirers in the game by the time he left Rochdale and was named as manager of Manchester City's Elite Development Squad (EDS) less than a month after leaving Spotland Stadium.
Having made the short 10-mile move south, Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia and CJ Egan-Riley were among the talents he helped to develop.
READ MORE: Vincent Tan Insists Brian Barry-Murphy Was Always The Right Man For Cardiff City
And Barry-Murphy guided Manchester City's young guns to the Premier League 2 title in his debut season - with six players from his crop of youth talent making their first team debuts under Pep Guardiola as the Citizens won a fourth league title under the Catalan.
Only Luton - on the back of two successive relegations - are fancied more than Cardiff to gain promotion back into the second tier at the first time of asking, with the likes of Plymouth, Bolton and Huddersfield among those who bookmakers feel will challenge for a top two spot in the upcoming campaign.
However, with Cardiff already nearer to the start of the new season than they are from the sacking of Riza on April 19, Barry-Murphy will have precious little time to drill his methods into his crop of players in pre-season.
Given how his sides have operated under his watch at both Rochdale and Manchester City, the Cardiff faithful can likely expect a significant style shift.
While that comes with obvious challenges, it will likely be music to the ears of Bluebirds supporters who have long clamoured for some kind of identity to be implemented at the club.
The perceived lack of football knowledge among those at the top at Cardiff City Stadium has been a real bugbear of supporters for some time now.
But, with the assistance of a sub-committee, the hierarchy appear to have made a genuine attempt to move with the times by planting the seeds that could ensure Cardiff star to look up again following a number of years of anxiously looking down.
READ MORE: Cardiff City Close To Confirming Brian Barry-Murphy As New Manager
