'I thought they'd promised me a couple more years too...'Marcelo Loffreda had been due to enjoy a five-day holiday to Argentina before returning to face the music at Welford Road where Peter Tom and Peter Wheeler had finished conducting rugby's time-wasting trend of lengthy reviews, but word came out of the most powerful club in England that they had parted company with their Argentine coach.
First it was Brian Ashton, who definitely won't be moving up to the Midlands, then Chelsea coach Avram Grant, and now Loffreda. What is noticeable is that all three managers/coaches were overseeing their teams with one eye firmly on the boardroom, not permitted to just get on with what they do best and coach.
Between them, 7 runners-up spots in the space of six months, represents a descent return for teams, who were by far from the best teams in their respective competitions - that's if you weren't dealing with shop owners, who wanted to have their hands in the till, on the shelves and taking stock take at every possible chance.
Next in line as shopkeeper is just as much of a puzzle for everyone. The players would prefer at internal appointment, probably with Austin Healey and Will Greenwood piggy-backing onto Messrs Back and Cockerill but what about Jake White - a World Cup winner nonetheless - who knows a thing or two about political pressures and would laugh at Chairman Tom with even the slightest interference. Sounds like a match made in heaven.