Too often, football coaches are wedded to a certain playing system, come hell or high water. Peter Bosz's tenure at Borussia Dortmund, for example, was doomed from the start due to the Dutchman's dogmatic tactical approach. The seldom seen other side of the coin, however, is when a coach is able to devise a system that works for their players: one man who has made that his hallmark is Schalke's Domenico Tedesco.
As Tedesco told bundesliga.com back in October: "The system itself isn't the be-all and end-all ... The biggest thing, and what I find the most important, is how you lead people; how you motivate players to run through brick walls for the club and how you help them to make the most of their potential."
Almost every player at Schalke is making the most of their potential at present, and as a result the club are rightly one of the favourites to claim one of the four available UEFA Champions League berths. Part of the reason for the Royal-Blues' improvement this season (after finishing 10th last term) has been that Tedesco has wrought every inch of potential from his players, who are in turn thriving under his stewardship.
Watch: See how Tedesco has implemented a Royal-Blue revolution!
There is no fixed system as such at Schalke – a fact that makes the Gelsenkirchen giants one of the most interesting sides tactically in the Bundesliga this season – but the 32-year-old has made some tweaks to certain players' positions that have brought significant upswings in performances.
Accordingly, bundesliga.com takes an in-depth look at which players have most reaped the rewards of Tedesco's refreshing, Royal-Blue revolution...
Naldo
Before Tedesco: Out-of-form, ageing centre-back
After Tedesco: The beating heart of one of the Bundesliga's best backlines
At this stage last season, there was uncertainty as to whether Naldo would remain at Schalke, struggling as he was in the centre of a four-man defence under Markus Weinzierl and with rumours swirling about whether his contract would be extended.
A year on and the centre-back is not only one of the Bundesliga's best defenders, but is also an outside bet to be part of Brazil's FIFA World Cup squad. The 35-year-old recently became the Bundesliga's record appearance-maker, a record he has claimed as his own in large part because he has not missed a minute for the Royal Blues this season.
Watch: Naldo headed a late equaliser in one of the most dramatic Revierderby encounters ever!
Naldo, three years older than his coach, is the rock at the heart of Tedesco's three-man defence. Remarkably, he has won a league-high 73 per cent of his challenges, while his aerial threat has been crucial in Schalke becoming one of the top flight's most dangerous sides from dead-ball situations: the long-limbed Brazilian has already chipped in with five goals and three assists – including that memorable late equaliser against Dortmund in the Revierderby.
Fielding Naldo in the centre of a back three, flanked usually by two quicker players in Thilo Kehrer and Matija Nastasic, has made redundant his weaknesses (for all his attributes, he isn't the quickest) and enhanced his considerable strengths: as well as winning all those aerial duels, the centre-back has become influential to his side's build-up play, finding his man with over 90 per cent of his passes. It is little wonder Naldo describes Tedesco as the best coach he's ever had.
Max Meyer
Before Tedesco: Faltering false nine
After Tedesco: The best deep-lying playmaker in Germany
Before encountering Tedesco, Meyer's career had gone off the rails. Once one of his country's most promising prospects – the preternaturally gifted midfielder made his international debut at 18 – everything seemed set for Meyer to follow in the footsteps of Julian Draxler as the next great No10 off the Schalke production line.
Yet amid a flurry of managerial changes, Meyer lost his way in recent seasons. He only featured sporadically last term, perhaps the nadir for a player who looked lost and was shunted across the attacking midfield positions, a victim of his own versatility and his club's chronic instability.
The arrival of Tedesco has solved both of those problems. With Meyer putting in the hard yards off the field – his Instagram feed is a showreel of the 22-year-old in the gym – Tedesco vowed to find a position to reward the hard work.
Tedesco (l.) has brought the best of of Meyer since arriving in Gelsenkirchen. © imago
Unconventional it may have been, but Meyer's shift to deep-lying playmaker has proved a masterstroke. Now in a No6 position, the Oberhausen native's creative talents remain prominent, with the hard work off the field also replicated on the field: Meyer now runs on average eight miles per game – an impressive figure.
Although slight for the holding midfield role, that aforementioned hard work has helped Meyer win nearly half of his challenges, but most remarkable is his 93 per cent pass completion rate – the best return in the Bundesliga. Finally living up to his youthful promise, Meyer has morphed from forgotten golden boy, to deep-lying playmaker supreme under Tedesco.
Weston McKennie
Before Tedesco: Youth-team jack of all trades
After Tedesco: The USA's next great central midfielder
Unknown to most outside of hipster football circles before the season, McKennie didn't really have a position. The USA youngster was regarded as a tough-tackling central midfield prospect, although that's not saying much given that Schalke's phenomenal record of producing talent means those are ten a penny in Gelsenkirchen.
Under Tedesco, however, the American has been turned into an all-action central midfielder, the perfect complement to either Meyer or Leon Goretzka.
A glimpse into the future