Relentless pressure took its toll: tony pulis column urges managers must put fitness first

The demands of management

Vincent Kompany’s recent collapse at Bayern Munich’s training ground has highlighted the health risks of football management. The cause was identified as meningeal irritation, an inflammation of the protective membrane around the brain and spinal cord.

Pulis says the job’s pressures became clear when he took charge of Bournemouth in 1992, aged 34. He scouted and signed players, organised staff across the club and worked within its financial limits, while carrying responsibility for results and performances. A heart-monitor experiment 25 years ago showed the strain on managers: Leicester’s Dave Bassett and Bolton’s Sam Allardyce both reached critical heart rates during a match between their teams.

Putting health first

Pulis recalls eating poorly while travelling to watch players, often relying on a pie or a sandwich. Advice from a colleague helped him recognise that the job was affecting his fitness and that stress could have serious consequences.

He resolved to make a more manageable lifestyle a priority in his next job. Some days he could only walk and stretch, but he generally kept to that commitment and trained regularly. Physical challenges later included cycling from John O’ Groats to Land’s End, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and rowing from Tower Bridge to the Eiffel Tower.

Routines beyond the pitch

Pulis says he protected his mental health by avoiding press coverage about himself and his team. After matches, he would often drive home to the south coast, reflect on the result and begin preparing for the next game.

Time with his children, including watching his son Anthony play football, gave him a welcome release from the job. He says he shares his approach with young managers today.

Support has also expanded, Pulis notes. The League Managers’ Association offers health testing through its ‘Fit To Manage’ programme, while club medical staff increasingly look after coaching staff as well as players.