A young Ireland fan has shared with the world the hilarious tale of his application to take over as manager of the national football team. The utterly magnificent application, which has just come to light despite being sent soon after Giovanni Trappatoni's exit, really is something to behold.
Yes, yes, we know it's been done before. Originally, and most spectacularly, the stunt was pulled by Middlesbrough fan John Boileau back in 2006, who wrote to his club demanding the job on the basis of his experience playing Football Manager on his computer, in tandem with coaching an under-11s Sunday league team.
Boileau's correspondence prompted hundreds of similar applications - not least when Dumbarton were looking for a new chief two years ago.
Such fun and games turned seriuous when an Azerbaijani student named Vugar Huseynzade actually landed a major job in Baku on the basis of his virtal management prowess soon after that - but O'Brien's application shows clearly that he would have been an even better choice.
Not because the 25-year-old promised the FAI that, "I GUARANTEE that if I do get this job IRELAND WILL WIN EURO 2016."
Not because he waxed lyrical about his "non-human management skills" earned in cattle breeding.
Not because he helpfully pointed out that he is a Capricorn.
But because he came up with two absolutely brilliant, and totally original, tactical formations.
They are the magnifcently-named 'Shatners Bassoon'...: and The equally brilliant 'immaculate Pasta'
John's entire application letter explains it all (h/t The Guardian), but Shatners Bassoon is said to come after "months of scientific research" into the best way to counter 4-5-1 tactics with a formation that "literally points the way to goal".
He admits that while it might seem "overly offensive" at first, the idea is that they'd play that way until Ireland went ahead, after which they'd resort to Immaculate Pasta, "a classic pincers tactic, like Napolen used to great effect in the Battle of Marengo".
Crackers. And brilliant, at the same time.