Whoever took the Tottenham job this summer was going to have a tough task on their hands this season - and Nuno Espirito Santo will be under no illusions that he is going to be up against it.
Up against it with the fans - who had given him the most lukewarm of receptions after his appointment after he had become what appeared to be the 10th or 11th choice by chairman Daniel Levy.
Up against it with Harry Kane - who has already made it clear he wants out of north London after a dismal campaign saw them slump to seventh place and miss out on a trophy once again.
And certainly given no favours with the toughest possible start to the Premier League against reigning champions Manchester City - and Nuno still has a number of problems to address in his squad - as well as key areas he needs to strengthen - to transform his group of underachievers into contenders again.
So with just over a week until the campaign begins on August 15, what are the major concerns for Nuno to look at as he attempts to whip his side into shape?
New Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has a number of issues to attend to this summer
KANE FUTURE STILL IN DOUBT
This is going the be the question mark that lingers over the club all summer long.
The story isn't going away any time soon, unless Levy and Nuno can convince their star striker to commit his future for another year, the England skipper is going to be linked with a move away until the window slams shut.
It gives an aura of uncertainty that Spurs really don't need right now, when Nuno is attempting to build from the rubble of the failed Jose Mourinho era.
When Kane returns from his rest after his Euro 2020 campaign with England, the head coach should have more clarity on where his head's at. One way or another, it's important that the squad are not unsettled ongoing doubts about Kane.
Harry Kane's future remains in doubt and the club cannot afford ongoing uncertainty
We know that Manchester City are keen to make him their leading man up front and have already made a bid of around £100m - with Pep Guardiola confirming the club's interest and admitting the ball is in Tottenham's court.
Kane ramped up tensions between himself and Spurs after failing to appear at training this week - although he has since come out to defend his name and deny claims he would go on strike.
With Levy a hardball negotiator, it will likely cost around £150m to convince him to sell. Should City agree to cough up that gargantuan amount - which would easily be a Premier League record, Nuno might be tempted to bite the bullet and allow him to leave so the rest of the team can move on.
He secured a mini victory by agreeing a new contract with Son Heung-min Son, and should Kane end up departing the coach could build a team around the South Korean - although he would also need to embark on the daunting task of trying to replace the forward - who has netted more than 200 times in his eight years playing for Tottenham.
NUNO STAMPING HIS MARK
The former Wolves boss has four pre-season friendlies under his belt now and he will be getting an idea of how he wants his team to play - even though a handful of players still won't have returned after involvements in Euro 2020.
The squad are adapting to Nuno's style of play after a 3-0 win over Colchester and a 3-1 victory over MK Dons - although the results will be the last thing the new coach is concerned about.
He played a 4-2-3-1 in the first friendly win before deploying a 4-3-3 at MK Dons - but he was renowned for his 3-4-3 system while coaching at Molineux.
Espirito Santo will be keen for his new players to adapt to his style and tactics quickly
He has tinkered with formations in pre-season but could opt to use a 3-4-3 system
He stuck with 4-3-3 in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea - where his side fought back from 2-0 down to secure a draw.
It seems that Nuno is looking to switch things up and keep things interesting with a number of different tactical options, and he certainly has the personnel to play with three at the back.
Full back Matt Doherty knows the system well and could be revitilised on the right flank while Sergio Reguilon could fill in on the left.
GET ALLI BACK ON FORM
Nuno also faces a number of decisions about who slots into his midfield - but in particular Dele Alli.
The former MK Dons starlet was frozen out under Jose Mourinho but has started both recent friendlies, scoring against Colchester and MK Dons before picking up an assist against Chelsea - looking hungry to reclaim a promising career that has recently gone stale.
When Mourinho arrived in 2019, he accused Alli of going missing in training, asking him if he was 'Dele, or Dele's brother'.
Dele Alli has the chance to get back on top form if he can impress his new boss Espirito Santo
The Portuguese boss has given Alli a chance to show his worth after years of drab displays
The 25-year-old still has so much time to rediscover his best form for Spurs after a brilliant start to his career saw him pinpointed as a future England icon following a surge of spectacular goals and becoming one of the first names on the team-sheet under Mauricio Pochettino.
He has come close to an exit on a number of occasions, with PSG said to be interested, but Alli now has a chance to start afresh with a new coach and put himself back in the frame for England contention, with the 2022 World Cup on the horizon next year.
Tottenham never really replaced Christian Eriksen after his departure to Inter Milan, and have been lacking that creative force behind the striker - but Alli can act as a new signing by reminding Spurs fans just how much quality he possesses.
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