Darren Sarll: Stevenage boss says management can be a lonely place

Darren Sarll's Stevenage have lost five of their last seven League Two matches

Stevenage manager Darren Sarll says he has experienced loneliness during his first year in football management.

Sarll, 34, replaced Teddy Sheringham at Boro, and the club are now seven points off the League Two play-off places.

"Experienced managers say to you try to switch off and have your family life," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I don't know if it's my first year and I'm young, but for me that's impossible. It's very lonely, especially in defeat."

He continued: "I just want to hide away and get my head around what is next. I don't want to hide away and sulk or melt in the corner, but I want to refocus.

"But that means isolating your family and pushing them to one side in the times when you should be really with them."

Sarll also admitted to sleepless nights since he stepped up from Boro first-team coach to replace former England striker Sheringham in February last year.

Darren Sarll is assisted by former Norwich City and West Ham boss Glenn Roeder (left) at the Lamex Stadium

His own playing career was spent mostly in the non-leagues of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, before he moved into youth coaching roles at Stevenage and Brentford.

"For me, being different to other managers as I never played professionally and had other jobs that our supporters work in, to relate what you do nine to five Monday to Friday, or whatever your shift work is, to a managerial position is impossible," he said.

"I get why we're harshly criticised when things aren't going well. There's only 92 managers and my thought is there's always someone wanting to do it for five minutes longer for a fiver cheaper. There's always someone out there ready to take your job.

"You have to always be on your guard and never rest. It's tough, the loneliness is tough. But I quite like a fight and challenges, so I quite enjoy that bit of it."