Murray’s realisation after Covid absence

Airdrie manager Ian Murray says his eyes have been opened wider to the impacts Covid can have on players after his first-hand experience.

The Diamonds boss missed last week’s League One win over East Fife after a positive test for the virus, but he was back in the dugout for Saturday’s 3-2 win over Falkirk.

Murray’s men have been no strangers to Covid after last month’s match with Queen’s Park was called off due to a virus situation.

After feeling some of the key symptoms himself, Murray says he understands why it’s taking players time to get back into full match sharpness.

He explained:“it’s not been too bad. It took a bit of time but then it came on really quickly at the start of last week. I got a couple of positive tests and I was forced to take some time off.

“That’s the first time I have had it. I have avoided it for almost two years now.

“I thought with it being Christmas and us having a lot of games on, I was just run-down.

“I felt a bit tired but I thought it was because of the busy schedule.

“But it was obviously the Covid kicking in. When you experience something, it helps you understand it a bit better.

“It’s made me realise and gave me a bit of a better understanding of what a player will go through and how it hard it must be for all players, not just my own.”