Vincent Kompany was nowhere near Bayern Munich's first choice after Thomas Tuchel's fractious exit in 2024.
But the Belgian coach has won two Bundesliga titles in two seasons since then and is bound to be linked with former club Manchester City if media speculation about Pep Guardiola moving on proves true.
It is quite a turnaround for the former Anderlecht boss, who was ridiculed in some quarters for getting the Bayern job having just been relegated from the Premier League with Burnley.
Several big names turned Bayern down but new head of sport Max Eberl believed Kompany's tutelage under Guardiola as a player at City, plus his commitment to his attacking values at Burnley despite adversity, made him a candidate for success.
Judging by this season, Eberl and other club bosses has been emphatically vindicated.
"This coach makes every player better," honorary president Uli Hoeness told podcast Auf eine weiss-blaue Tasse. "And I’ve never seen him conduct a press conference where he said 'I need a left back, I need a right back,' as was the case under Tuchel."
Just one defeat in the league this term - at home to fellow Bavarians Augsburg in January - was very much an exception in terms of performance, with the Munich side otherwise giving everything until the final whistle in other games.
A case in point was the 3-2 win at Freiburg earlier this month when youngsters Tom Bischof and Lennart Karl netted in stoppage time to turn defeat into victory.
Kompany's management of the young pair has been widely praised. They have both contributed more than expected, with midfielder Bischof converted to a left back and 18-year-old Karl showing real maturity.
The club wanted Kompany to integrate young players more and he has followed orders without piling too much pressure on them.
The winger has been rewarded with a Germany call-up and expected World Cup place after just one full season in the Bayern first-team, a journey which began in the Club World Cup in June where Kompany's team shone before a tight quarter-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
That game was where Jamal Musiala broke his leg and was ruled out for months. The playmaker has recently been itching to get back as a starter, but Kompany has taken his time with the 23-year-old star.
Rushing Musiala back was appealing given his skills. Kompany though put his long-term health first.
Bayern were good last term but this season they have been world class, with Harry Kane scoring 32 goals so far to again top the Bundesliga scoring charts and outstrip his 26 in 2024-25.
Kane has scored crucial goals as well, including two in the 3-2 win at only rivals Borussia Dortmund in February which confirmed Bayern as likely champions.
He has also stood out as a senior player alongside Joshua Kimmich, arguably taking on the mantle of former Bayern icon Thomas Müller, urging on his team-mates without going overboard. He has also dealt with the media more, but his lack of German is the only flaw.
The England captain has been helped by a league-high 18 assists from winger Michael Olise, who increasingly looks like the buy of the decade after joining from Crystal Palace in 2024.
"He is going to be a big player for us, for sure," Kane told CBS.
Other big sides were looking at the now-France international but the Premier League let him slip through its grasp. Now Olise may rival Arjen Robben as one of the great Bayern widemen, cutting inside on to his left foot and causing havoc just like the ex-Netherlands star.
The defence deserves praise too. Jonathan Tah settled in straight away after his move from Leverkusen and Dayot Upamecano has reduced his errors and stuck at it during an initial contract impasse.