Nottingham Forest CEO Dane Murphy has said it will take 'two or three' transfer windows to embed the club's new philosophy, penning a piece in the East Midlands side's programme before the Cardiff City clash.
After completing much of their business late on in the transfer window, only being able to recruit shot-stopper Ethan Horvath and Watford loanee Philip Zinckernagel, before bringing in eight further players in the following weeks.
One of these additions in Max Lowe grabbed the assist for Lewis Grabban's opener at the weekend after bombing down the left side, although several signings were unavailable for Saturday's clash, a blow for manager Chris Hughton who desperately needs more fresh blood in his side to overturn their fortunes.
Winning just one point out of a possible 18 in their opening six Championship games has left them at the foot of the table, three points off 23rd-placed Peterborough United and in real trouble going into Wednesday night's tie against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Hughton will be focusing on the short-term in a bid to save his job - and may already feel lucky to still be at the City Ground after seeing predecessor Sabri Lamouchi sacked just four games into the 2020/21 season.
But Forest CEO Dane Murphy has a longer-term vision for the club, one that looks a lot better than the predicament they currently find themselves in.
Writing in the the second-tier side's programme pre-Cardiff, he said (quotes via Nottinghamshire Live): "I am excited about what we can achieve together; we have the fanbase, the infrastructure, and a talented, committed staff ready to drive the club forward.
"Developing and implementing a more modern and contemporary sporting approach will give us a competitive advantage in the ever-changing landscape of English football.
"There will be trials, and patience needed, but sticking to a club-driven philosophy will prove out.
"The club is putting the pieces into place. Realistically, it will take two or three transfer windows to fully embed the new philosophy.
"In the same breath, every result matters. This team can challenge for every point that is available to us and make strides up the table."
The Verdict:
The last couple of sentences in that quote should be a source of reassurance for fans, because whilst it's important the Forest hierarchy have one eye on the long-term future, their decisions and results in the short-term could be vital in the long run.
They won't be able to achieve their objectives and effectively embed their philosophy without staying in the Championship, or at least you wouldn't think so considering the club aren't probably contemplating going down to the third tier with the calibre of players they have at their disposal.
Trust is at a premium at the City Ground though after such a disappointing last campaign and a ghastly start to this season, so the right decisions will need to be made to convince the supporters this is the right path to go down.
But it would make sense for the philosophy to take two or three windows to bed in, especially when you consider the fact they have recruited five loanees.
Forest may decide to pursue a permanent agreement for a couple if things go well, but bringing all five in at the end of their temporary spells would perhaps be unrealistic, especially someone like James Garner who looks destined for the Premier League at some point in the future.