Gareth Southgate has just come through the most uncomfortable period of his six years as England manager which saw his team relegated from the top tier of the Nations League after a series of underwhelming performances.
Despite this setback, his job should be secure considering his generally impressive record as England gaffer.
He had admittedly sounded a bit desperate when he called a recent defeat against Italy "a step in the right direction" but an entertaining 3-3 draw against Germany at Wembley on Monday has lifted his spirits as well as those of England supporters.
It was not so much the score as the spirit in which England played in what was their final competitive game before the World Cup in Qatar which kicks off in November.
After going behind 0-2, things did not look good for Southgate's team.
However, roared on by the home crowd, they almost snatched victory but for a bad mistake by goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Southgate was quick to acknowledge the fans' support.
"The crowd came with us and stayed with us. Even at 0-2 they didn't get on their back and that was important," he said.
There were encouraging performances from several England players, particularly Jude Bellingham who has surely secured his place in England's midfield.
The 19-year-old star has been underused by Southgate possibly because he has been playing for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
There are still plenty of problems though and Southgate will have to make some difficult decisions.
Harry Maguire, whose mistakes led to two of Germany's goals, is becoming a liability and surely must be sidelined. The England manager has always stood by the Manchester United player but Maguire has lost both form and confidence.
He is very slow on the turn and opposing forwards in the World Cup will exploit that to the full.
England also need a reliable back-up for Harry Kane and it was strange that Southgate, after putting in-form Brentford striker Ivan Toney in his recent squad, did not play him at all.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold didn't even make the squad and there will plenty of speculation whether this creative but sometimes vulnerable player makes it on the plane to Qatar.
Everton's Jordan Pickford looks certain to be the custodian but Pope's shaky performance against Germany leaves the gate open for Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale to be the No.2 keeper.
After England's recent poor run, there have been calls from some fans for Southgate to resign, but that would be daft.
He has taken England to the semi-finals of the World Cup and the final of Euro 2020 and he knows all the players inside out.
Southgate might be a bit too conservative for some but it would be crazy to replace him just months before the World Cup.
Fans have short memories. When England returned from the 2018 World Cup after narrowly losing to Croatia in the semi-finals, the Independent newspaper carried a full page photo of Southgate with the headline "Thank You".
The demands that go with being England manager have taken their toll over the years with all the unwarranted mental pressure.
Even Sir Alf Ramsey, who led England to the World Cup title in 1966, was eventually hounded out by the press when England failed to qualify for the 1974 tournament.
Former England manager Howard Wilkinson made this telling observation back in 1993: "I've worked with the last three England managers and I've seen what it did to them. I've seen Ron Greenwood break out in sores, Bobby Robson go grey and poor Graham Taylor double up in anguish and stick his head between his legs so far it nearly disappeared up his backside."
Taylor suffered more than most with the Sun labelling him "Turnip Taylor" and he wisely threw in the towel after being pilloried by the media.
Shortly before he quit, he commented: "At the moment it is a horrible job. I don't want it to turn me into a horrible person."
Taylor's resignation prompted a Times editorial on the situation and the headline said it all: "Who On Earth Would Want A Job Like This?"