THERE’S no doubt this a pivotal season in the tenure of Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp.

A turbulent six months, on and off the field, has damaged the previous goodwill afforded towards the joint owners.

But as the volatility begins to ease there’s a feeling that – for better or worse – Bradford City is now a club firmly embedded in Rahic’s strategy and philosophy. And that the set-up of the club is where he wants it to be.

Now, we’re about to find out if it can be a template to success.

There’s a high-risk feel about many of Rahic’s decisions – none more so than the appointment of 32-year-old Michael Collins as head coach.

The six-week saga of replacing Simon Grayson ended with an underwhelming choice to most fans. It’s not hard to pick holes in the recruitment process.

Collins didn’t even apply for the vacancy, and was seemingly handed the role when better options turned it down. He has the coaching qualifications and some experience with City’s under-18s. But this is a huge step up.

How such a rookie coach will cope with the raw pressures of a football season, and his ability to inspire a dressing room, are completely unknown. Collins has a lot to prove and, with it, Rahic’s reputation is on the line. You really hope it works out.

Certainly Collins can’t complain about the tools at his disposal. The squad, on paper at least, looks a lot stronger than this time a year ago. Rahic and Greg Abbott deserve great credit for making so many eye-catching signings. Lessons appear to have been learned.

It really is impossible to know what to expect. If the club can come together and embrace Rahic’s strategy, there’s a brilliant chance of a stronger top-six push.

But if the approach proves misguided, and the tilt towards youth leaves City lacking a street-wise edge, it could be a very tough campaign.

There’s also a familiar question mark over whether boardroom and supporter expectations are married up.

Rahic tells me he wants to see foundations laid, young players given more opportunities, and signs of progress. City fans will settle for nothing short of a promotion push; especially having come so close to reaching the Championship in recent years.

A strong start is always desirable, but it seems absolutely crucial this season. Get off to a flier, and everyone will come together. Lose a few games, and the ill-feeling that was aired towards the owners at the back end of last season could easily resurface.

If Collins proves to be the wrong man there will be little faith left towards Rahic and his philosophy. There’s so much at stake.

Ultimately, we all want this to work. As a club we’ve had five glorious years between 2012 and 2017; a period amongst the best we supporters have ever experienced.

You don’t want to believe this era has come to an end. The hope has to be that we eventually look back on the first six months of 2018 as a short-term bump in the club’s ascent. That the questions asked of Rahic, Rupp and others are answered positively and unequivocally.

But success or failure hinges on what happens next. Make no mistake: this is a defining moment in the Bantams’ modern history.

* Jason McKeown is the editor of City fan website widthofapost.com