Updated June 8, 2011 20:56:00 Late night bike rides have been one of the "strange things" besieged Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss has done to cope with a horror AFL season.
And judging by the Lions' 2011 fortunes, Voss will not be ditching the cycling gear any time soon.
But if the off-contract Voss was anxious about his future he hid it well on Wednesday, throwing his support behind a special panel that will assess him as early as next month.
However, no one can doubt Voss' passion for the Lions after he revealed the toll each loss was taking on him at Brisbane's Four Codes charity lunch.
"In some ways as coach you bottle it up a little bit (after a loss) - I have done some strange things," Voss said.
"I have ridden home at about 1:00am at times (after games) - just put the cycling gear on and gone home.
"That tends to get the anger out so I can sleep nicely.
"You find all sorts of means to get that emotion out."
Still smarting from Brisbane's 'embarrassing' 65-point last round loss to Sydney, Voss was the odd man out when he took centre stage at the Four Codes lunch.
Surely he must have envied the men beside him - reigning A-League championship coach Ange Postecoglou (Brisbane Roar), Super Rugby ladder leader Queensland's mentor Ewen McKenzie and NRL finals-bound Broncos coach Anthony Griffin.
But Voss had already been in the spotlight after it was revealed this week four-time premiership coach David Parkin had joined the Lions board-appointed special panel that will assess his performance.
Voss welcomed the move.
"I think it is a worthwhile exercise that every club should be doing," he said.
"I think every time a coach's contract is renewed there should be a review process."
But Voss did not need to look far for assistance at the lunch.
He admitted he had picked the brain of Postecoglou who endured similar lows just last season, only to lead the Roar to the A-League title on the back of an unbeaten 28-game run.
"I was sitting next to Ange and listening to what he went through," Voss said.
"They had a pretty tough year the year before and his philosophy on how he approached that, and the successes that they have, you keep that in the back of your mind in these moments."
Voss said he had bounced ideas off current and former AFL coaches during his team's slump.
But he had not consulted mentor Leigh Matthews recently - not that he had to, it seemed.
"With Leigh I was fortunate enough to be his captain for a number of years with almost daily interaction," he said.
"Leigh almost becomes like a second dad.
"He's had a lasting impact on me.
"There are plenty of Leigh-isms that I have used.
"You lean on those guys in the good times and bad."
- AAP
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brisbane-4000 First posted June 8, 2011 20:33:00
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