When Jaime Estrada resigned as president of Ecuadorean top flight club Manta FC in order to pursue his dream of becoming a player, most fans in the South American nation sniggered openly at him.
But Estrada is the one laughing now: not only was the 28-year-old signed up by the club he used to run, but he made his first team debut at the weekend and scored a lovely goal in a 4-0 victory.
Estrada dreamed of playing professional football as a youth when he was signed by Manta, but when he left school in 2002 he decided to go to college to study business management.
That led to a career in football administration which eventually took him back to the club three years ago - this time as club president.
After a few years behind a desk, however, the playing bug inside him grew stronger and stronger, and his efforts in training persuaded both the man himself and the rest of the club hierachy that he should go for it.
League rules prohibited him from playing while still club president, however, so Estrada had to resign his day job to sign up as a player.
That dream culminated in an appearance as a sub in the match against Nacional at the wekend. Manta came on with four minutes to go, lashed in a goal within 60 seconds, and trotted off the pitch to a hero's reception from the crowd.