Fernando Santos lasted just over a month without cigarettes, after promising his family he'd quit. The breaking point was Euro 2012, where his Greece side somehow snuck into the quarterfinals after a tense 1-0 win over Russia in their final group game.
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Photos of the Portuguese coach at that tournament caught him sheepishly looking into the camera, about to light up. Those glimpses of guilt are the few times Santos seems to betray any emotion: The man nicknamed "The Engineer" is as cautious in news conferences as he is stoic on the sidelines.
The above moniker is on account of the degree the 59-year-old holds in electrical and telecommunications engineering. In keeping with his qualifications, his approach to the game is meticulous, and it is clear from his interviews that he values players with tactical knowledge and discipline. For Santos, structure is key.
There may be an argument that his philosophy on football is slightly rigid and simplistic, but the man himself is a complex and fascinating character.
Reportedly a devout Catholic, he briefly worked as a technician before embarking on his coaching career in the late '80s in Portugal. Santos has enjoyed a rapid rise in both his home country and, subsequently, Greece.
Four years ago he was officially named Greece's domestic coach of the decade, and he has four times been awarded Manager of the Year in the top flight.
Santos had two separate spells with AEK Athens, bringing the troubled giant a Greek Cup in 2002. An unsuccessful stint with Panathinaikos immediately followed, before Santos returned to Portugal with Sporting Lisbon.
AEK came calling again in 2004, at a turbulent time during which the tactician lent a steadying hand. A brief stay at Benfica preceded a third return to Greece, during which he attempted to rebuild a once-great institution in PAOK.
He overcame a difficult start to his reign and began to improve the club before being approached by the Hellenic Football Federation to succeed Otto Rehhagel as Greece manager. Santos accepted and has since delivered back-to-back appearances in the knockout stages of major tournaments: at Euro 2012, and now, at the World Cup in Brazil.
This is an unprecedented success for the Greek national team. Under Rehhagel, the side failed to qualify for Germany 2006 and endured disastrous campaigns at Euro 2008 and South Africa 2010. Santos has brought consistency at the top level and made history at the World Cup, guiding the country out of the groups for the first time.
He has also gradually moulded Greece into a more progressive and adventurous side than it was under his predecessor. Admittedly the accomplishment is relative, but to have made this team slightly more entertaining -- while delivering results -- has required a tremendous balancing act: The attacking performance against the Ivory Coast (a 2-1 win) is a perfect example of his work.
Yet perhaps only Santos was capable of succeeding Rehhagel in such a manner. Though he still mainly speaks Portuguese to the media, the Lisborn-born coach has previously described his unique relationship with his adopted home.
"When I leave Greece, I will often return for holidays," Santos says. "I've loved this place and I always feel nostalgia when I am away.
"Whenever my wife and I were in Portugal, something pulled us back in Greece."
A reputed "frappe addict" (a habit he picked up while living in Greece), Santos' personality in the game is a unique blend of dry wit and unshakeable belief in his methods.
It is unusual to see him deviate from the carefully considered responses he gives to the media, but when he does, his insights are fascinating. During his time at PAOK, Santos once famously said, "We have sardines and we are looking at them like they are lobsters," in reference to the lack of resources and quality players at the club.
That type of comment is an exception to the rule for Santos, who is uncompromising in the defence of his players, and even more so, in defence of the style of football his teams play. Perceived criticisms of Greece's negative approach are met with abrasive, clinical responses.
As manager of Greece, he has shown an uncanny ability to make the right tactical choices for key games, and this has resulted in success at the last Euro and current World Cup. His in-game substitutions, as well as his ability to admit his own errors and correct them during tournaments, are his greatest strengths as a coach.
Apparently a close friend of Jose Mourinho, Santos shares with his countryman an unapologetic but passionate approach to the game. He has also proved himself a shrewd judge of talent, fostering the international careers of players like Kostas Manolas and Panagiotis Kone around a core of experienced and trusted footballers.
Santos has confirmed he will leave his post as Greece manager at the end of the World Cup, and his reputation has been enhanced tremendously in the past four years. Regardless of how far his team go in Brazil, it's highly unlikely anyone will begrudge the former Maritimo player a cigarette as he reflects on another telling contribution to Greek football. And what does the man himself think about the habit?
"I smoke because I like it. When I stop liking it, I'll quit."