“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death.
“I am very disappointed with that attitude.
“I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
The above quote from Liverpool legend Bill Shankly often gets wheeled out but I felt it was particularly apt this week given the fact that St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright will have to monitor events at McDiarmid Park from a hospital bed this weekend.
The Saints boss was in fine fettle on Monday morning when members of the written media myself included – went to see him, so it came as a shock to find out he had subsequently admitted to hospital with stomach pains.
Fast forward a few days and the Northern Irishman is minus the pesky gall bladder which caused the problems following routine surgery on Thursday, and is facing up to having to miss this weekend’s game with Hibs.
Wright will no doubt be hurting from the procedure, but I can assure you the discomfort of him missing a Saturday afternoon in the dugout will be torture in itself.
Chairman Steve Brown has told Wright this week to put his health before football but, while we all have to remember it is only a game, some people just will not take a telling.
And I can put money on the fact that the Saints boss will be one of those.
Doctor’s orders will dictate for a while, but with the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen looming large on the horizon he will not want to be cooped up for too much longer.
Wright eats, sleeps and breathes football, and I just hope that he gets the all-clear to return to work sooner rather than later.
Whether you like them or loathe them, you can only admire what the Perth club has done this season and in the last two or three seasons in punching above its weight, both domestically and in Europe.
The wins against Rosenborg and FC Minsk on the road will long live in the memory, while semi-final dates in both the League Cup and Scottish Cup represent tremendous achievements.
And there could yet be even better to come, although I’m sure Aberdeen will have a lot to say on that score.
It’s just a pity that the squad’s success has not sparked a sharp upturn in spectators heading to McDiarmid every second week or so.
In a way, that makes the fact Saints are even challenging for a top six spot even more remarkable.