He is already the most successful Wales boss just by getting his country to a Euro 2016 semi-final - but it was at Fulham that Chris Coleman got his managerial breakthrough.
GetWestLondon was there from the day he arrived as a player from Blackburn in December 1997 to his appointment in April 2003 and the day he was evicted from Craven Cottage in April 2007 .
Here are key moments from that time on the man who stands on the cusp of one of the most remarkable football feats of all time.
Coleman wasn’t first choice to become Fulham manager
But his sheer presence in the changing room forced the board to rethink a move for German Klaus Topmoller who had steered Bayer Leverkusen to the final of the Champions League.
Fulham had already drawn a blank on appointing from within when they promoted Paul Bracewell from the playing staff to become the club’s manager in a lack-lustre 1999-2000 season.
Fulham were headed towards relegation under the creative, tactical but withdrawn Jean Tigana in April 2003, but Coleman’s fizz was the antidote that got them over the line - and him the job permanently.
How important is Coleman in the dressing room, Louis Saha?
Saha once divulged everyone stopped and listened to the Whites club captain when he spoke.
In fact, the French striker, later transferred to Manchester United for £12.4m, reckoned he had come across no one like Coleman as a player with that much clout.
Coleman the boss is almost happier than Coleman the player
GetWestLondon posed the question after a tragic car crash nearly cost him his life that if he could go back before the accident - would he prefer to carry on playing or manage?
“Knowing what I do now,” he answered, “I’m glad I became a manager - undoubtedly,” this after winning 32 caps for Wales.
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He is Wales through and through - and enjoyed trips to games so much he once delayed a Fulham press conference by five hours
Chris Coleman admits he is not the best timekeeper.
But the morning after the night before at a Wales game he was still in Cardiff when he should have been on the road home.
A scheduled 1pm Fulham press conference at the Motspur Park training ground eventually took place at 5.45pm to the backdrop of an embarrassed Whites media staff and a tired-looking Coleman.
Coleman hated the new regime under Jean Tigana, but…
…later admitted it was the way to get results.
When the future Wales manager and his pals was rudely awakened at 7am for the first of three runs a day at a pre-season camp, there were saturnine stares to go with dark circles under eyes.
But the national boss to be learned loads from the talented Frenchman - and in Coleman’s own words, it changed the drinking culture at the Cottage.
“It was almost understood you went for a beer after a match, but Jean has changed all that,” Coleman admitted at the time, “and everyone is the better for it.”
