Hi °C | Lo °C As Mark McCall will testify, a week is not just a long time in politics.
Ulster's defeat to Gloucester at Ravenhill last Friday - a loss that leaves their Heineken Cup hopes hanging by a thread - already seems like a lifetime ago.
Ulster's 32-14 defeat probably felt like the end of the world for McCall. Seven days later and it is someone else's problem.
Still, it will no doubt be a strange night for McCall who, for the first time in three-and-a-half years, will not be in the stand as head coach when Ulster's Heineken Cup campaign continues at the Stade Pierre Rajon against Bourgoin.
Walking away from something that consumed your life is never easy. One of the biggest challenges in professional sport, whether as a player or coach, is knowing when your time is up.
At the age of just 39, McCall has many coaching days ahead of him if he decides he ever wants to pull the tracksuit back on, in whatever environment. What is certain is that his rugby brain, work ethic and passion for the game are talents that should not be completely lost to Irish rugby.
The strain of living in the goldfish bowl in Ulster as the only professional coach of a full-time professional team living in the province, finally caught up with McCall this week as he made the courageous and dignified decision to quit.
Ultimately, in this results-driven business, the number of defeats became an unbearable yoke on the squad and sapped the confidence out of both the coach and his players.
Ulster need a new start, a fresh voice and direction, and McCall not only recognised this but had the bottle and selflessness to realise the best thing for the team was to step down, even though he still had two-and-a-half years to run on this contract.
Whatever players or supporters thought of his coaching ability, his decision deserves respect and is in stark contrast to Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan's desperate bid to cling to power despite the national side's complete flop at the World Cup.
Yes, O'Sullivan has the comfort and security of a four-year contract signed before a ball was kicked at the World Cup. But, deep down, does he really feel that staying on after six years in charge already is the best thing for Irish rugby? Or is it all now just about clinging to power?
McCall, I'm sure, will be watching tonight's game on television, but now with the luxury of being an armchair supporter. He put so much of his life into coaching Ulster over the past number of years that a complete break will do him the world of good and no doubt recharge his batteries for a fresh challenge.
The key for Ulster now is to find a suitable successor to first bring some stability to the squad and then breathe confidence back into players who, for a prolonged period, have not been living up to their potential.
It seems the Ulster Branch are determined to go for a big name, a coach with top international experience and the man-management skills and nous to drag the squad out of their current mire.
Aiming for the stars is always an admirable quality but the Branch must be sure they are not just bringing in a 'name' for the sake of it.
At this crucial time for Ulster Rugby, a progressive and enlightened rugby brain, in tune with the very latest developments in the game, is needed, as well as a big personality capable of dealing with the issues within the squad as well as attracting top quality international players to bolster the home-grown talent.
A big name, who may have been around too many corners and lost touch with the constant evolution of the game, may bring only ego and baggage with him.
The right choice, however, could see Ulster get quickly back on the right path again. And so the wheel keeps turning.
