While countless footballers over the years have tried their hardest to cultivate a rock star reputation, German Burgos has quite literally lived that life first hand.
As a young goalkeeper making a name for himself in the Argentine Primera Division, El Mono also formed part of a cover band called La Piara, singing lead vocals and cutting four albums, the last two of which were released after he moved to Madrid to take Atletico's No.1 jersey.
A cancer survivor, one of football's most eccentric characters and a hothead who once threatened to rip Jose Mourinho's head off during a Madrid derby, for most of the past decade Burgos has been alongside Diego Simeone; the pair starring in a brilliant duet that has established Atletico among Europe's elite.
Now, though, he has gone solo, with the challenge of putting Newell's Old Boys back at the top of the charts in Argentina.
On Sunday, Burgos, who parted ways with Simeone and Atletico midway through 2020 in order to pursue a head coaching job, was confirmed as the new boss of the club where Marcelo Bielsa made his name.
"I wouldn't want to name anyone in particular, I have several influences," he explained to reporters, "and you pick up things from everywhere as a player and a coach, but Bielsa is in my methods."
More than 10 years have passed since Burgos worked in his native Argentina, during a stint as Simeone's assistant at Racing Club prior to taking over in the Spanish capital, but he is relishing the task ahead.
“I am very happy to be coming back to my country. I take this challenge with a lot of experience, I have been in the Champions League, Europa League, Copa del Rey and the Spanish second division,” he told reporters on Tuesday in his first press conference since landing in Argentina.
“This is the moment to take a step forward and put myself on the line. Newell's trusted me, and so did I.” In another conference organised on Thursday he praised Newell's "European" facilities - a statement slightly contradicted moments later when an advertising banner placed behind the coach fell onto his head.
As well as Bielsa two famous Newell's alumni also weighed in his decision. "I saw that [the club] had made a big effort to bounce back, and also because of Newell's' history, Bielsa, Gerardo Martino, El Tolo Gallego, the great players who have come through here, Maradona, Messi," he added.
Burgos arrives in Rosario surrounded by familiar faces. Spanish pair Armando de la Morena, Atletico's former youth coach, and Angel Puebla, who formed part of Vicente del Bosque's backroom staff at Real Madrid, join El Mono as his assistant and fitness coach respectively.
He will also find another Atleti favourite in his squad in Maxi Rodriguez, still going strong for Newell's despite turning 40 at the start of 2021.
Burgos will be sitting on the bench this Friday for Newell's home meeting with Union, after testing negative for Covid-19 and immediately joining training with his new club. It is a game the Lepra sorely need to win.
In their opening five matches of the Copa Liga Profesional the side have mustered just a single point, drawing once against Talleres and losing their other four encounters in a run that sealed the fate of previous coach, Frank Kudelka.
There is talent in the squad, but many of the stars are approaching the end. As well as Rodriguez, ex-River Plate sharpshooter Ignacio Scocco is 35, as is former Boca Juniors enforcer Pablo Perez; while midfielder Fernando Belluschi is approaching his 38th birthday.
Perhaps most concerning for the Lepra is, despite the presence of Maxi and Scocco, the lack of goals; just three have come in their opening five matches, two of which were scored within the space of eight minutes against Talleres.
Time will tell what kind of coach Burgos will turn out to be. His only experience in sole charge came during a short stint deep in Spain's lower leagues, with Carabanchel 10 years ago, prior to linking up with Simeone.
Whether he follows in the cautious, defence-first vein of his long-time boss or cuts a more offensive figure with his hands on the reins remains to be seen.
What Newell's are guaranteed is the arrival a football-obsessed workaholic who, even while out of work after leaving Atletico, has left no stone unturned in honing his coaching talents. “We have been preparing all this time in case we got the call,” he told Infobae in February.
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“I am passionate about that. A footballer plays for two hours, but we are there 24 hours a day. I drive my team crazy, we cannot turn off our phones. My eyes are swollen from watching so many games.
“I don't stop, we are always meeting. We work with several systems, 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 or 5-3-2... we are ready for whatever is needed.”
There is still plenty for Newell's to play for. Despite that dreadful start they have plenty of time to make up the distance to the top four in Zone 2 of this first phase of the Copa and push their way into play-off contention.
If Burgos can get the off-key group playing the right tune, there is no reason to think the music-minded coach cannot be a hit in Rosario.
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