But Newcastle caretaker boss Chris Hughton has suddenly picked up TWO gongs to show that he is capable of holding down the position.
He has been named the Coca-Cola Championship manager of the month for September, his second award on the trot.
Having guided the Magpies to the summit of the Championship and he has helped stabilise the club on the field despite continued uncertainty behind the scenes.
But he insisted that his squad and backroom staff of Colin Calderwood and Paul Barron deserved as much of the credit for claiming the award.
Hughton: "It's very pleasing, but it's very much an award for this group of lads and the staff I've got working with me. It's very much a team award.
"I'm certainly enjoying it at the moment. It's very difficult not to when you've got a group of lads performing as they are, and we're at the right end of the table.
"But I know there are going to be difficult times ahead of us. There are times when we're going to be stretched and perhaps we're going to get the injuries that other teams have already had this season.
"I've enjoyed the challenge, and it has been a real challenge at times, but there are certain aspects which have been made easier by the staff that we have and the group of players that we have."