It's got to be described as the impossible job in football and that is sorting out the Newcastle United defence - but that is the almighty task of Chris Hughton.
To be fair a lot of the stick directed at the Toon's back four at times has been a little harsh since the Premier League kicked off.
And in Kevin Keegan's three full seasons in the top flight, you don't normally associate leaky defences with teams that finish 3rd, 6th and 2nd respectively.
Mark Lawrenson has always been thought of as somewhat of a joke figure by many fans but in his only season as "defensive guru", United finished the season with four clean sheets in a row (including trips to Arsenal and Man U) to qualify for the Champions League in 1996/97.
Kenny Dalglish then sent Lawro packing back down to BBC Wood Lane and the former Eire defender has never been shy when it comes to sticking the boot into the much maligned defence of the black and whites.
Not for a minute am I saying that we should have kept football's answer to one of the chuckle brothers!
But has there ever really been anybody to look after the defence properly since?
Maybe Nigel Pearson and Glenn Roeder did have it right at one stage but the defence was always capable of knocking off and going to sleep (even without Titus), I mean come on the likes of Sheff United, Fulham and Blackburn all left St James's Park with maximum points which just shouldn't happen!
Even under Sir Bobby the defence would always mean you were living on the edge - despite three top five finishes - and after it all went pear shaped for the former England boss the defence seemed to throw in the towel.
United have tried everybody at the back down the years.
Spaniards, "dependable" Italians (well Pistone), Frenchmen, Belgians, the injury prone Jonathan Woodgate, young guns, home grown products and I think even Sir Bobby tried Rob Lee as a sweeper once upon a time!
But none of it has really worked, just like Darren Peacock was often to made to look like a bad player on occasion, the same has occured for Steven Taylor.
Taylor has also had his fair share of stick since coming on to the scene but the kid is England Under-21 captain and with a good coach can iron out the mistakes.
That coupled with a bit of guidance and possibly the signing of a new centre-back who isn't yesterday's man and actually wants to defend and United under Hughton may not be too far away from sorting out this liability which has cost them so many points down the years.
Another challenge for Hughton will be to bring on David Edgar and while Stephen Carr's career may have taken a turn for the better due to the arrival of the former Spurs and Eire coach it may not be to some fans liking.
That said if Hughton can motivate Carr and get him playing the way he was before he arrived here who knows?
Stranger things have happened but none stranger then signing a £6million defender from La Liga in Jose Enrique and then not playing him - again another big challenge for Mr H.
I have to say I was talking to another former Republic of Ireland defender in Mick Martin the other day in his office and he did stress the need for a top coach to come in.
Martin in his Celtic coaching days said he'd take the back four and his two wingers at Parkhead to one side and work with them for 45 minutes to an hour each day.
The players didn't like it and couldn't wait to join the more offensive players on the five-a-side pitches but it helped mould a successful back four.
Only time will tell but a United team that just can't stop conceding goals certainly needs someone to sort them out and pretty quickly given the time of year and lack of victory since December 15.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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