Blanco, who turns 61 in December, spent 18 months away from the profession he loves after his Socceroos coaching contract expired following the 2000 Olympics. However, he knew he wasn't about to be the retiring type -- preferring to address more professional challenges which lay ahead, satisfying his craving to coach with the National Soccer League's Marconi Stallions this season.

"During that time, I had the best lawn and garden in my neighbourhood," the endearing Blanco told tribalfootball.com in a joking manner on Thursday about the sabbatical he took from December of 2000 until last May when he took the Stallions job -- but seriously said that there were things about the day-to-day grind of coaching that he missed while he was away from the calling he loves so dearly.

"After the Olympics, the NSL started straightaway that year, so there weren't any jobs immediately available, and no positions really opened up. So it was driving me crazy not being able to do what I love to do," said Blanco about what he calls his period of "dying of sadness".

"In a way, it was painful not being able to do the things that I love about coaching while I was waiting for an opportunity to work again," he said. "One year went by and there were no openings that really opened up, but thank goodness that I had the patience to wait things out, and that I had the contacts that I had, and a good professional relationship with Marconi, when they did call me."

"I've missed everything that surrounds the game," added Blanco, who took over the reigns when Lee Sterry's contract was not renewed at the end of last season. "I missed having contact with the players, and all the other people associated with a team on a day-to-day basis."

"All my life, I've been around the game. All my life, it's been in my blood. All my life, I've had something to do with the game. It's my passion, and my life," said Blanco.

But Blanco has no regrets about the circumstances that fell into his path. "For as hectic and as wonderful as the coaching profession can be, it felt right to take a break," he said. "It was refreshing just to take a little time to relax, to travel, to read."

Blanco also said that the prospect of coaching abroad -- after a career that has seen him emigrate to Australia from his native Argentina in 1967 to play in what was a pre-cursor to the modern NSL, and has seen him travel the world while in charge of Soccer Australia's national teams at virtually every youth and senior level -- never entered his mind.

Rather, he preferred to make plans to live in Australia for good.

"I took time off -- but to be honest, I wanted to make sure that I could add to my experiences in this country for the last 35 years. I've been tied to Australia, and I wanted to make sure that I would never pick up my roots from here," said Blanco.

And as Blanco prepares Marconi for their game away to the Melbourne Knights this Sunday, and despite the fact that his team currently graces the bottom of the NSL ladder, the coach likes the situation he is currently in with the Stallions.

"First and foremost, Marconi are recognized throughout this country as a class organization," Blanco emphasizes. "It's a club that has all the facilities and infrastructure necessary to be a successful side, and although this represents a time of transition in this point in time with the club, it's a wonderful challenge that I love, and we can build on the great tradition here."

Report by: tribalfootball.com