Gary Rowett is an honourable, pretty likeable chap who is essentially a trusted former Fox. Many viewed his return to Leicester City (on this occasion in the dugout) as the homecoming of a potentially steady, prudent hand.
However, it is clear that he and most others underestimated the sheer magnitude of the role. Although, to his credit, the 52-year-old still managed to solidify the defence - somewhat.
Under his stewardship, the leakages that once threatened to sink the ship have been patched, bringing a veneer of structural stability back to a fractured vessel.
​Nevertheless, the nightmare deepens because, in spite of the gaffer's improvements, a clinical edge remains painfully vacant.
LCFC carve open opportunities only to see them dissolve into agonising wastefulness, leaving their territorial dominance utterly unrewarded. Jordan Ayew and Patson Daka are obviously unsatisfactory.
Walking into a Leicester City nightmare
A meagre return of seven points from the same amount of games is also a worrying return for somebody in such a desperate footballing position. The table does not lie, and a point-per-game ratio is a luxury the hierarchy simply cannot afford as the relegation run-in reaches its crescendo.
​Furthermore, while international breaks are often time to regroup and galvanise the remainder of a second division team, this hiatus offers no such sanctuary. Many of City's brightest stars reportedly won't return until one day prior to the Preston North End clash; scattered across the globe on national duty.
"It leaves Rowett with two challenges. Firstly, he has to work without many of his key players, but also, a Friday restart for club football means 24 hours fewer to get ready, with a lot of internationals likely to get only one day back at Seagrave before the Preston fixtures."
This leaves Rowett almost powerless for a fortnight, reduced to a spectator while his tactical blueprint gathers dust on an empty training pitch. He is trapped in a race against time, desperately needing to sharpen an attack that has forgotten its killer instinct. But he is deprived of the very personnel required to orchestrate salvation before the Lancashire outfit arrive on Filbert Way.