Contrary to the opinion once expressed on this forum, I actually really like Steff. He just needs to focus on the big picture and stop being paranoid about missing selection due to some notion that his national federation is against him (although I can see how he came to those conclusions!). The sport in Oz needs him more than he needs it, so he should stop fighting the selectors and get set to take on the rest of the world. The other things for sure he needs to look at is his motivation and goals and start charting a time-line that will enable him to fulfill the requirements for selection while at the same time enabling him to fulfill his ambitions.
And the frustrating thing is that I’m certain he knows all that, yet somehow got tangled up in shit fights all last domestic season.
The timeline issue though may be more important than many realise. If you return to training too late, you place yourself under dreadful pressure to set the base in place and leave enough time to get sufficient adaptation to more specific race pace wrapped up before the inevitable March selection trials in Australia.
Would I coach him? I’ve already told him I would, but he seems to want to do it the American Way which is fine. I love his fire. I just wish he’d be more careful and stop aiming the blowtorch in his own direction because it is so not necessary.