‘My football world turned upside down’ - admits Southend United's Stephen McLaughlin

The Southend United man, along with his team-mates, has been training at home and only venturing out of his house once a day for either a family bike ride or a morning run.

“It has been crazy, like everywhere,” insisted McLaughlin. “We are allowed out once a day for an activity, so it has been quite hard. I go for a run in the morning or I go for a bike run in the afternoon with the three of us and then do a work-out in the evening.

“My process at the minute with the club is that I have been given a three week programme, as all the players need to stay away from the club for another three weeks.

"It’s a crazy situation but to be told to sit at home and watch TV or jump on the Playstation for whatever length of time isn’t that tough, there could be worse things.

“Playing on the Playstation is great because I can speak to my team-mates, family and friends in America. It’s a great way to talk to people even though you are still playing a game."

An old friend from Donegal has also played a key role in keeping McLaughlin fit during this tough time while he also says he’s been speaking regularly to friend, Ronan Murray, who was recently laid off by Sligo Rovers.

“My mate back home, Sean McColgan, has a gym and has had to close it but what he has been doing is an on-line stream of work-outs so I tune into that and do it in my front room to keep active,” he added.

“It is hard, you are used to playing football every day, but there’s a bigger picture here.

"For people like Sean, and a lot of self employed people, it’s very tough and I know I’m in a fortunate position as I know I’m always going to get paid. There are people who are really, really struggling and I think football can take a back seat for now, to get this coronavirus sorted.

“Football isn’t immune though. I have a mate Ronan Murray, who has been playing with Sligo Rovers, and he has just been laid off and I can’t believe it.

“It shows that clubs in Ireland, and everywhere, do need a lot of help. When I saw Sligo had laid everyone off, I immediately thought of Ronan and gave him a ring to see how he was but he told me he just has to get on with it.

“He isn’t too bad because he’s just living at home with his mum and dad but at the end of the day, he’s basically not a football player until everything gets back to normal. He’s a young lad and what’s happening at the minute is just crazy."

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