Some coaches choose to follow their side's progress from the stands rather than sitting on the bench and Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has certainly proved himself to be one who likes to keep his distance.
His decision to remain at his California home for three weeks in every month rather than keeping a close eye on the players he is picking has come in for heavy criticism, which will only end if he can lead Germany to World Cup glory.
Life in charge has hardly been a bed of roses for the 1990 World Cup winner.
The reaction in Germany to Klinsmann's appointment was not all that positive, with Ottmar Hitzfeld widely regarded as the only man with the attributes and experience to give Germany a genuine chance of success at the 2006 World Cup.
When the former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund coach turned down the approach from the German football federation (DFB), the state of shock prompted them into what has been seen as a panic appointment, with Klinsmann unveiled as the new coach - his first role in football since hanging up his boots in 1998.
"(His appointment) was born out of a crisis situation," said Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness.
The successor to Rudi Voller, who had led Germany to the runners-up spot in the 2002 World Cup and was a firm favourite among the fans even after the early exit from Euro 2004, was certainly not the fans' choice.
Resentment escalated when he decided to remain in his family home in the United States rather than move closer to his office in Frankfurt.
"If Bayern are playing for the title, the Germany coach should be sat in the stadium, not watching delayed coverage of the game on ESPN in California," added Hoeness, annoyed by the absence of Klinsmann at top Bundesliga games where a lot of German talent was on show.
But Klinsmann has sought to let the results do the talking and, since taking over in July 2004, his record is not a bad one.
That said, a 4-1 defeat to Italy in March brought the knives out for him again, even though they then defeated the USA later in the month.
Leading the assault on the Germany coach after an earlier defeat to Slovakia last September was another Bayern Munich legend, president Franz Beckenbauer, who lamented Klinsmann's decision to leave Bayern's keeper Oliver Kahn out of the squad.
The 1974 World Cup-winning captain also criticised his absence from a UEFA coaching forum earlier this year.
Klinsmann's alternation of Jens Lehmann and Kahn in goal has been criticised, with the former Tottenham player giving no indication as to who he sees as his number one.
"When I see our best goalkeeper (Kahn) playing golf when there is an international game being played, I'm lost for words," said Beckenbauer.
But Klinsmann is sticking by his decision and will not be pressured into picking any member of his World Cup squad until he is convinced who he wants to select.
"My priority is not to tell the media and sponsors they are always right or help the DFB increase their membership numbers, it's to help the Germany national team develop," he said.
The team certainly is developing, with 35 players employed under Klinsmann and still no sign of a settled first XI.
In fact, only captain Michael Ballack and youngsters Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger seem certain of their place in the team, although the example of Christian Worns shows how quickly things can change.
The Borussia Dortmund defender was the first name on the team sheet in the back four until the Slovakia defeat, but now, Klinsmann has said Hannover's Per Mertesacker and Cologne's Lukas Sinkiewicz have their noses in front with Worns out in the cold.
Klinsmann certainly seems keen to chop and change, but then there is only one thing he is not ready to alter, and that is his own lifestyle on the USA's Pacific coast, away from the media glare and miles away from the pressure - unless, of course, things do turn out alright and Klinsmann joins his team in Berlin on July 9 to lift the World Cup trophy.
