Roberto Martinez believes we live in a world of extremes. That he is emerging as the favourite to take over at Real Madrid two years after failing at Everton neatly captures it.
The height of Goodison Park's exasperation with Martinez came a fortnight before the inevitable sack, on a day they beat Bournemouth in April 2016. A plane flying over read: 'Time to go, Roberto.' Supporters sat in outside the ground chanting for his departure.
It left the cheery Spaniard bruised, developing a tarnished view of the game he is so obsessed by. That Belgium came calling three months later was a significant blessing to a man who could not have been left stewing over how quickly things turned sour at Everton.
In essence, he has rebuilt his reputation on the international stage. Belgium's third-placed finish at the World Cup was exhilarating, scoring 16 goals and with protagonists allowed to flourish. It is his dedication to free-flowing, unashamed attacking that Real's president, Florentino Perez, will surely be attracted to.
'There is this counter-revolution that is about defending well and getting people behind the ball,' Martinez said in the book 'From Guernica to Guardiola'.
'Some people are tired of training teams to construct play. You can only play defensive and counterattack against a team that wants to construct.
'My aim is to make chances and entertain people. The defensive coach is the one building a house and then I want to be the person destroying the house.'
Sportsmail reported that senior players at Real held serious reservations about the prospect of Antonio Conte being handed the reins. With Martinez – a man who grew up in Balaguer, just west of Barcelona and started out at Real Zaragoza - comes a complete difference in style.
Belgium released a statement about the interest on Wednesday morning. 'If a club wanted to hire Mr. Martinez it should first reach an agreement with the Belgian Football Federation.' Martinez, who recently signed a new two-year contract, himself has said this week that he is not entertaining questions on the speculation.
His hunger for management did not diminish for long following the chastening exit from Everton. During his interview Belgium officials were met with a five-point video presentation detailing why they had lost to both Italy and Wales at European Championships that summer.
In Russia, Martinez ploughed on with his idea of how to attack the tournament despite relative disquiet from some of his stars and that was proven correct. Goals were shared and they conceded less than one a game.
The team was built around Eden Hazard and Martinez managed to cajole performances out of Kevin De Bruyne in a variety of roles. Moving De Bruyne further forward when 2-0 down against Japan changed the course of that fixture. Playing as a false nine in victory over Brazil worked a treat and here came a flexibility, the lack of which Martinez had been derided for at Everton.
Belgium are not burdened with the sort of egos other nations need to manage but, while Martinez has not always been popular, the results speak for themselves.
As a player he did not show signs of this obsession to management. Even as a senior professional he would listen to others rather than chime in. In hindsight, he must have been absorbing.
Graham Barrow, his former manager and then first-team coach at Wigan, said: 'British football has this thing that you need to be big and brash, ranting and raving. You have to be able to b****** people and really tell people. I wondered how he would handle that side of it, but he just did it in his own way and players responded.'
Martinez can be stern, of course, and is traditional in many respects – not least with training ground punishments. Yet, in his ever-changing world of extremes, he generally prompts a response from those playing for him. Real's flirtation is a product of that.
