As a new lunar year begins, the English Premier League's most famous water dragon has every reason to feel optimistic about the months ahead.
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill (pictured) turns 60 on March 1, which means he was born in the previous Year of the Water Dragon, along with cricket legend Viv Richards and former world No1 tennis player Jimmy Connors.
The astrological forecast for water dragons is for a flamboyant period with new beginnings and good fortune, along with some ups and downs. That could mean O'Neill will continue to prosper in charge of the club he supported as a youngster.
The Ulsterman took over just seven weeks ago and has guided the Black Cats from the cusp of the relegation zone into the top half of the table. Already he has recorded more than twice the wins of his predecessor, Steve Bruce, having overseen five fewer games.
Now he is aiming to steer Sunderland all the way to Wembley in the FA Cup as he prepares his side to face second-tier Middlesbrough in a fourth-round tie tomorrow. Having twice won the League Cup as Leicester City manager in the 1990s, he has privately challenged his players to lift England's most prestigious knockout trophy.
Dragons are known to be full of charisma, vitality and strength, and it does seem that these qualities within O'Neill have helped transform what appeared to be a demoralised dressing room, despite a summer of big spending that saw the likes of John O'Shea, Wes Brown, Connor Wickham, Nicklas Bendtner and Craig Gardner move to the Stadium of Light. They've lost just twice in nine games under O'Neill.
'Martin's arrival brought a winning mentality to a squad that had turned very negative under Steve Bruce,' said a Sunderland insider. 'He speaks with each player individually on the morning of the match and tells them how good they are. He encourages them to go out and express themselves.'