Declan Kidney describes coaching Ireland is “manic” due to the roller-coaster nature of the job.
The Irish ended their Guinness Series with a record 46-24 triumph over Argentina on Saturday, a result that secured their place among the second group of seeds at the 2015 World Cup.
It also relieved the pressure on Kidney, whose position would have been in doubt had the Pumas prevailed.
Consistency remains ever elusive for Ireland, who opened the autumn with a 16-12 defeat to South Africa after leading 12-3 at half-time.
“This team is not about one person - me. It doesn’t matter if I’m around or not,” Kidney said.
“The only thing that matters is that this team does well. That’s the only thing that has ever concerned me.
“This is a manic job, you have to be off your head to do it really. The highs and lows of it are just enormous.
“Take the South Africa defeat - which part of the performance do you look at?
“Do you say we had a lot of injuries and disruption but we finished within four points of them, or do you say something else because we have lost?”
Taking advantage of limp opposition fatigued by playing their 12th Test since June, Ireland ran in seven tries in their finest performance since beating Australia at last autumn’s World Cup.
A clever gameplan was perfectly executed in what amounted to a vote of confidence in the under-fire management from a side who have failed to deliver too frequently.
Lions centre Gordon D’Arcy insists the players are to blame for team’s fluctuating fortunes.
“We have no say in selection, in coaches or any of that thing,” he said.
“We back the coach, the guy who’s there every day. We back him 100%. We back our decision-makers.
“We’re the only ones who are responsible for what happens on the pitch.
“We backed our management staff. We always knew they were the right men for the job. We just get on with the job.”
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