Lee Johnson is hoping the SAS can help him prepare for this weekend’s Edinburgh derby following the bitter disappointment of Sunday’s defeat to Dundee United.
The under-pressure Hibernian manager has previously worked with British Army special forces in an attempt to discover how best to recover from losses. He accepts football is not life and death but claims the impact of a defeat can trigger a similar reaction to the post-traumatic stress endured by soldiers.
In recent weeks, Johnson has had to utilise the lessons of his past SAS briefings, with Sunday’s 2-1 reverse against United Hibs’ fourth straight loss. They now desperately need to bounce back against Hearts this weekend.
“I have worked with the SAS in the past,” he explained. “A bad loss almost becomes like a post-traumatic stress that you need to go through.
“It’s not life or death, obviously, like it would be in the military, but you feel it to that level. It is the same chemical reaction. You just come out of it quicker.
“So a lot of my work in the past was about getting through that process quicker because you almost need to go into a dark place and [then] reinvent yourself in a week moving forward - and to feel what everyone else is feeling.
“I think that is one of the things that the great managers can do really well. They manage to take a breath, they step out every week and do their best, but are also humble enough to take it for everyone else and let them flourish.”
Johnson admits football does not leave much time for managers to cope with the game’s perpetual ups and downs. Even family life can provide little escape for the 41-year-old, given his father, Gary, is the former Bristol City, Yeovil Town and Latvia boss, who is currently in charge of Torquay United.
“I feel like I’ve been ingrained in football since my dad was a manager, coaching,” he added. “It’s a blessing and a curse if you like all in one, but I love it.
“I’m really close to my dad but we probably only end up chatting about football or my daughter! The conversation seems to get [to football] very quickly, whether it’s a family dinner or whatever.
“But it’s nice to know that you’ve always got somebody there as your backstop. He knows my personality, they know when to leave me alone, all my family do, and they know when to lift me. I think it’s important in a job like football.”
