Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Robertson opens up on mental health struggles as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss John Robertson says managing the club during the Covid-19 pandemic has been the toughest year of his career.
Robertson talked of the effect it has had on his mental health over the last 10 months, admitting that there have been many times he has struggled.
Football below the Premiership and Championship, as well as the entirety of the women's game, has been suspended until the end of January when the situation will be reviewed again.
Weekly testing will now become a mandatory part of life for ICT players, adding another element to Robertson's priority of maintaining his players' well-being.
There have been times that responsibility has taken it's toll on the former Hearts striker though, even making him question whether he wanted to continue in the role when he was at his lowest ebb.
“This has been without doubt the hardest year to manage – I’m sure other managers would say the same," Robertson explained.
“I haven’t seen my own children for 10 months, or my granddaughter who was born in November. We all accept that and get on with it, but it has been very difficult.
“I have been very down at times. I have struggled with my own mental health, because I’ve had all these added pressures to deal with. As a manager I do my best to try and help my players, but who helps me? I’ve got to go home and chat to my wife about it, but who manages the managers?
"I’m lucky I’ve got a great relationship with the board and the CEO, and we have various chats, but there have been half-a dozen times since March where I have felt really low.
"Sometimes I have questioned whether I want to keep going, because it’s just been so hard seeing what’s happening in the world at the moment. It doesn’t last very long, you go again, but I would be a liar to say it has not affected me.
“You find this inner strength as a manager to keep working hard, and keep making sure your players are okay. You ask about their family to make sure their wives and children are okay, and their relatives.
“I’m not different to anyone else, because we are all going through the same thing, but it's tough going."
Many other clubs will be looking enviously at Caley Thistle because their league programme will continue as normal for the time being, but Robertson's concerns off-the-pitch make it somewhat difficult to agree from a purely moral perspective.
"I’m worried about 26 players under my charge," he reasoned.
“I’m worried about their wives and partners, their kids. I’m worried about their mums and dads, if someone here catches it and takes it home to them. I’m worried about my coaches and my non-football staff.
“It is difficult when you see what’s going on. There has been a sudden surge of Covid in the Highlands now as well and you’re worried you’re taking it home.
“From a non-playing perspective, it doesn’t sit easy with me at all."
