Claude Le Roy, Ghana's eloquent French-born coach, has been in the game too long not to realise he will be heading down to the local job centre if he doesn't bring home the African Nations Cup title on February 10.
"I'll either be hero or zero," he told AFP at the team's hotel in Accra.
"Hero doesn't interest me, as the players are the real heros. And as for zero, that's something I'll just have to assume."
So far though so good for Le Roy after Ghana completed the first round with a maximum nine points to avoid Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals with Group B runners-up Nigeria waiting for them on Sunday.
This is Le Roy's sixth African Nations Cup, and the sixth quarter-final for the man who led Cameroon to the 1988 title in Morocco.
"I'm proud of all I've done but the only trouble with having long experience is that it means a short future."
He is relaxed about the chance of getting the chop from the Ghana Football Association after the 2008 tournament.
"I read the other day the president of the local federation saying if Ghana win the title they'll employ a world class coach - so I suppose that makes me a village coach.
"We'll have to see how it goes. I'm not worried about being out of a job. I know I'll be working on a pitch somewhere.
"I've received lots of proposals in the past couple of weeks, one from a French club (which he declined to name), but I'd love to stay on here if they'll have me."
He revealed that he has a hankering before retirement of taking charge of a club in England.
"I love UK football. I was asked as a favour to help save Cambridge United from relegation a few years ago and have good memories of that episode.
"And my English is not so bad," he says in perfect English.
Le Roy, who turns 60 next week, has already proved his tactical nous, his decision to free up Chelsea's Michael Essien in midfield against Morocco paying handsome dividends.
He rated the 2-0 victory which sent the Moroccans packing "the best since I took over".
And he fervently believes this Ghana side has what it takes to clinch the title.
"I'm sure they have the potential to go all the way - there's a good balance in the team, and a very strong spirit."
While his tactics worked a treat against Morocco Le Roy is preoccupied with producing a new game plan to bring Nigeria's Super Eagles crashing to earth.
"For our next game I'll have to work out a different strategy. The first quality of intelligence is to be able to adapt," he says.
Ghana's backbone has been tested by the taunts and threats generated by Ghana's far from flawless 1-0 win over minnows Namibia.
Does the fact that he's manager of the host team with all the expectations that come with that position increase the pressure hanging over him?
"There is a responsibility for sure, but you have to assume it, no one forced me to be here."
Le Roy says whatever lies in store for him on the employment front he'll take a month off after the competition to recharge his batteries at his homes in Avignon and Corsica.
But he adds hastily: "I don't want to leave here before my birthday," which falls next Wednesday, only four days before the final.