Ah, sing it Roy and H.G: "When too much sport is never enough."
For as the great Bill Lawry himself would say, "It's all happening!"
Ah, sing it out, Bill! Yes, sports fans, for your edification this week, we have a smorgasbord of smash-ups, a buffet of biff, a feast of beasts going at each other from the rugby to the soccer to the cricket fields; from rugby league "swapsies", to a young Australian tearing up the boards of the NBA in his first season.
And yet, notwithstanding the fact that the Ashes starts today; irrespective of the fact that Michael Cheika looks likely to soon break Russell Crowe's record for the distance you can throw a mobile phone; ignoring for a moment that the Roosters have somehow managed to chase away their most passionate and accomplished player ... the nation's talking on one thing in particular today.
I refer of course to the strange saga of Ange Postecoglou, who coached the Socceroos all the way to the World Cup, only to resign yesterday, right when his side can at last see the summit!
Sorry, what?
To me, it seems seriously odd. Through deep valleys, over terrifying ravines, you finally lead your team all the way to Everest Base Camp, only to say "Good luck, and you blokes are on your own from here."? What? WHY? Has he had a gutful of the FFA?
Have they had a gutful of him? I have no clue. The only thing that seems clear is that the team was keen for him to stay, but he doesn't care - he's out. (Disclosure, as I was bemused to find out the other day, Ange and I share a manager, Nick Fordham, who organises the coach's soccer contracts and my broadcasting arrangements. But as you might gather from the above, it makes me absolutely none the wiser. And though I am good mates with a supremely well connected recent Socceroo, he had not the first clue what lies behind it.)
By way of explanation, from Ange, there was just this: "Sometimes it's just an instinct, it's the right time for me, it's the right time for the team, the organisation ??? for me it feels like the right time ???"
What does that mean? The CEO of the FFA David Gallop himself noted in the press conference that, when it came to the reasons why his coach just resigned right at the point of least pressure of the last three years - they have just qualified - he was frank.
"I am still a bit puzzled."
Me, too. But, translated, I suspect the coach's reasons lie somewhere between:
"I am jack of all the pressure, all the nonsense, all the media attacks, and the whole lot of yers can go and get nicked, because you won't have Ange to kick around any more."
And ???
"I have squeezed out of myself everything I can for this team, and I simply have nothing left to give. It is best for me, and it is best for them, that while I go somewhere new to start afresh, they get a coach with his own fresh approach ???"
So be it. Good luck to him.
Whatever else we say, at least kudos to him for getting the first half of the job done.
Who should the FFA turn to now?
What part of "no clue!" don't you understand? But, if I had a vote I'd go for a high-roller, with a bright countenance. That is, someone who can build on the attacking instincts of Postecoglou, but throw in brightness, optimism, laughter, lightness, happiness, sunshine, fun, joie-de-vivre.
For we must face it. The only chance the Socceroos have of getting anywhere in the tournament is by throwing a series of double sixes on the dice. They have to - correct me if I'm wrong? - play high-risk soccer, in the hope that luck will go their way, and the God they often point to in the sky is not a dual citizen, but one of ours.
As to the happy countenance, I actually think that it is precisely that approach that best goes with guiding attacking players. They have to feel that, win, or draw, the coach will smile on their endeavour and ...
And what? With $1 and the worth of my opinions on soccer, you still can't afford to get a cup of coffee?
Fair enough.
I'll get my coat and head for the exits. Right behind Ange.
Twitter: @Peter_Fitz
