Justin Langer is a Greek wedding complete with broken plates and hugs

Justin Langer lets his passion get the better of him sometimes but his passion is also the best of him.

Coach Justin Langer with Australian ODI captain Aaron Finch, right. Picture: Getty Images

Justin Langer and players have sorted it out. Presumably he explained why he is so intense. Hopefully his bowlers have resolved to close out a few more matches, his batsmen to score a few more runs and everyone involved to move on from what was an unsatisfying summer.

They’re 100 per cent behind him. Knowing JL he will be happy to hear that but just a little disappointed it’s not 110 per cent.

Langer is a complex and at times contradictory character.

The one thing he can never be accused of is lacking passion. Langer has elite passion. He’s got a flag pole on his front lawn. A Boxing Kangaroo tattooed on his backside. He cares — sometimes he cares too much — but he could never be accused of not caring enough.

Passion is his strength and his weakness. It made him the right man to lead Australia out of the sandpaper disaster, but his intensity could possibly become trying over a long period in a biosecure bubble. Especially in a losing series.

If any incident ever summed up Justin Langer it was that moment in the coaches box during the Headingley Ashes Test.

The coach, living every moment on the field, his heart beating as fast as his charges, his palms clammy and his mouth dry, is overcome by frustration and kicks over the nearest bin (Note to RSPCA: do not let this man buy a cat).

In an instant Langer realises his emotions have got the better of him and he is on his knees reuniting contents with the vessel as the game continues toward its agonising conclusion.

After Ben Stokes hits the winning boundary his group is shattered. Broken. They’ve made errors of judgment and skill on the field that have cost them the match and allowed England back into the series.

Langer, from all reports, was magnificent. He got around them, gave them words of encouragement, extended comfort to those in need of it most. He was empathetic, supportive and smart. He forced them to face their mistakes in the morning and, although reluctant at the prospect, they were relieved they did it.

Heaven help you, however, if you are on the wrong side of him with a toasted cheese sandwich.

He’s a complicated coach. He can forgive a mountain but be infuriated by a fly speck.

He can read the room and misread it. His end of series Ashes review a few weeks after the loss at Leeds was not so well received.

Australian Test captain Tim Paine and Justin Langer. Picture: Getty Images

The players in the team are his family. He loves them. Langer loves with a passion. He does everything with passion. He’s a Greek wedding. He’s broken plates, raised voices and hugs that squeeze the life out of you.

His love of his teammates, particularly Matthew Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting, was one for the ages.

The bromance between he and his opening partner rewrote the books on just how demonstrative sportsmen could be about their shared affection. Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa owe him.

There’s been a whispering campaign about Langer’s moodiness during the India series last summer and some feedback via consultant Tim Ford in his leadership sessions.

The anonymous whispering cuts him, but the feedback — after some initial pain — feeds his fire.

There’s no doubt a bin was kicked over in the summer, but it sounds as if Langer is determined to put the contents back. That’s what he does.

Before the team session on the Gold Coast last weekend Tim Paine said the players were in lock step with their coach. After it, Aaron Finch has said the same.

“The ability for JL to address some issues that came up in the review with Tim Ford, I think that was brilliant for him to tackle them head on and I suppose just put his side of the story, put his spin on it,” Finch said.

“And I think it shows the quality of the man he is — things that he’s working on and we’re all behind him, 100 per cent.

“The way he’s coached Australia in the last couple of years since taking over has been fantastic.

“We’ve had some really good success as well, so yeah, no doubt it was quite confronting for him at the time but he took it head on and addressed that and it was great. It was very positive from our point of view.”

In that fly-on-the-wall documentary of Langer’s first few years in the job there were some tense exchanges with Usman Khawaja. The first was in the UAE in stinking heat after a punishing net session where the batting group had to sprint between nets every time a wicket fell. They fell regularly because the coaches had scuffed up the surface and the balls were doctored.

It was an exercise in valuing your wicket. Langer was frustrated by repeated collapses.

After it, he had the exhausted group gather in the hot sun and asked them what they thought. The few that spoke up said it was a good way to do things.

Langer pressed for more feedback so Khawaja gave his. He didn’t

like it at all and he said so. It wasn’t the way he wanted to prepare. He was measured and honest. They went back and forth, Langer was not impressed, obviously angry and fired back.

The same scenario was repeated months later as the undermanned side limped through a series against India. Langer asked for feedback, Khawaja was brave enough to speak up while some of the others who’d had things to say when he wasn’t there kept their mouth shut.

You can see the coach is almost grinding his teeth during the exchange.

The thing with him is, however, that he goes away, chews on it, calms down and the next day he’s taken what was said on board.

When the emotions wash over he respects Khawaja more for speaking up and indeed the pair have a strong relationship. They’re in regular contact as he is with most of his players.

Let’s go back to March 1993 to the Test Australia lost to New Zealand in Auckland. It may be a story you have also heard for there are few events in Langer’s life which aren’t turned into inspirational anecdotes.

Langer has made a pair batting at three in his fifth Test, he is anxious and suffering and about to be dropped. Nobody has ever wanted to play Test cricket more than Langer. The thought of having his dream taken away is killing him, the effort of playing the game at that level is killing him too.

It is John Wright’s last Test, he’s dragging on a dart in the dressing room, draining a beer and even more chilled than he usually is.

Come here young fella, he says. You know what, you’re trying too hard. Lighten up mate or this game will kill you.

Sensing that it was easier said than done, Wright who is something of a hippy, suggests Langer try Transcendental Meditation.

Langer’s done it ever since.

If it has taken an edge off his intensity but it makes you shudder to think what he would be like before he found inner peace.