Blackpool boss Mick McCarthy opens up on the stresses of football management

The 64-year-old has been in the job for almost a month now, having taken over from the sacked Michael Appleton midway through January.

He’s drawn two of the three league games he’s taken charge of, while also overseeing a narrow defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup.

When asked about the stresses of the job, the veteran boss insists he’s still enjoying every minute of being back in the game having previously been out of work for 14 months.

“I never regard it as stress,” he said.

“I feel for people who are stressed and struggle with mental illness, but I haven’t got that.

“I’ve just got a job that is really enjoyable. I’m not going to say it’s easy but I enjoy doing it.

“It’s hard work, I get angry, I get up, I get all those emotions on the sidelines but I’m not stressed. That’s not a term I use.

“I work hard, you get all the highs and all of the lows, but stress is not something I get.”

On the changes he’s witnessed in the game over the years, McCarthy added: “I’m 32 or 33 years older than when I first started, how different am I? When you get your first job you can be very tunnel-visioned almost, so I’ve certainly got a bigger picture of life and perspective on it.

“With players I would probably have more empathy with them than when I was younger in terms of growling at them and snarling.

“They’ve changed, it’s not like it was when managers used to come in and rant and rave and call us all the worst names they could and then on Monday morning they’d have to try and get us all to play for him again.

“It has changed and no doubt I’ve changed, but you can see me on the touchline, I’m not that much calmer. I’m still kicking every ball, getting agitated and angry, happy and upset and growling at people, but if I stop doing that you better nail the lid down.”