Mindset is everything.
It’s going to be a long road ahead for Seamus Coleman.
But it is one which he is well capable of managing.
When a serious injury strikes a professional sportsperson, the outcome can be devastating in more ways than one.
Not only are you absent from conducting your livelihood, which can be difficult to come to terms with, but there are numerous psychological and mental effects to be considered.
There will be fear, anxiety and perhaps even a sense of self-loathing.
However, if your personality is characterised by determination and you have a strong support network around you, then the long road ahead can be can be traveled much more easily.
From interviews with Coleman over the past and even from just the way he plays on the pitch, you can tell he has the type of mentality to overcome the adversity which he currently faces.
As Martin O’Neill revealed today to RTÉ as he prepares his side to face Iceland on Tuesday night, the injury is, understandably, still incredibly raw.
“I think he’s just beginning to come to terms with it,” said O’Neill to the media at this week’s press conference.
“I saw him yesterday and he’s still pretty down about it. He’s not in as much pain, the operation went very well and it’s just a matter of coming to terms with it.”
O’Neill reiterates how mindset is key to getting over such an injury and the Derry man believes Coleman has what it takes to get over this difficult obstacle in his career.
“He’s down, as he would be, with the realisation that he is going to be out of action for quite some time,” O’Neill said.
“So those type of things don’t just take five minutes to get over, but he is very strong and has a lot of good people around him and his family are very strong as well and he is positive that he’ll be back and be as good as ever.”
The situation is bleak and Coleman is rightly feeling down about the situation but he can look to the future in confidence that he can get back to his best and wear the green jersey once again.
