Ex-AFC Portchester boss Mick Catlin: 'You don’t realise how much football management impacts on your life’

Mick Catlin applauds the Gosport Borough fans after the 2014 FA Trophy final against Cambridge United at Wembley. Picture: Paul Jacobs.

But the former AFC Portchester boss believes his enforced break from the game will only make him appreciate it more if and when he does return.

Catlin, 56, has been without a club since the Wessex League Premier Division Royals relieved him of his duty as manager in October.

Admittedly, he hasn't missed a great deal of football since then with two periods of suspension placed on the 'non-elite' level because of the pandemic.

However, it is still the first prolonged period Catlin has had out of the game since taking a player-manager role at Sussex County League side Portfield some 26 years ago.

In the two decades and more that have followed, he has spent time at Gosport, Moneyfields, Hawks and Portchester in various roles.

But Catlin has made the most of the time he's had to reflect of late after leaving the Royals.

‘I started in management at 30 and I’ve just turned 56 and I haven’t had a break from day one going from one job to another,' he said.

‘It has a little bit (been good to have a bit of a break).

‘It's pressurised and when you’re in it you don’t realise how pressurised it is because there’s always something to focus on, there’s always the next game or the next training session.

‘It’s not until you stop and take a step back from it when you suddenly realise the pressure you’re under and how much it impacts your life, really.

‘I think not having a break through that time, I’ve had the odd month here or there between jobs, but literally every pre-season I’ve been involved with a football club.'

Catlin feels the current enforced period without football - even for those still involved with clubs - could prove beneficial.

He reckons it's provided players and management staff time alike to assess their futures and admitted there could be a drop-off of those in the game when it is allowed to return.

Catlin said: ‘It has been nice to have a bit of a break and I think, for a lot of people in football, the enforced break has been nice because players have assessed what it means to them and how much they enjoy it.

‘I think everyone has had a bit of a reassessment of their football, there are probably some that will drop out that were doing it and didn’t actually enjoy doing it, but they’ll be a lot that will appreciate it a lot more. I’m sure I’ll be in that bracket.'