Livingston's David Martindale: 'People say they're going to monitor my heart rate in the dugout'
- Published
David Martindale's Livingston lost 3-0 to St Mirren on Saturday
Livingston's David Martindale has described the adverse effects the job can have on managers' health.
Martindale takes medication for high blood pressure and rheumatoid arthritis and says the all-consuming demands of his role are vast.
In a wide-ranging interview with BBC Scotland's Sacked in the Morning podcast, the 48-year-old said his wife, Martha, "upgraded the life insurance" when he took charge in West Lothian.
"I'm not even kidding on," he added.
"Martha said, 'your life expectancy has dropped by about 20 years'.
"You feel sorry for all the managers that are going through tough times."
Martindale, whose team are seventh in the Scottish Premiership after Saturday's defeat by St Mirren, frequently cuts an animated figure in the Livingston technical area.
"Everybody keeps saying they're going to put a heart-rate monitor on me in the dugout because it's not a healthy environment, is it?" he said.
"I'm on blood-pressure tablets, I've got rheumatoid arthritis. I take medication, which increases my heart rate.
"I get my blood taken every month for my arthritis and they take your blood pressure. They sent me home with the blood pressure monitor to use three times a day.
"My blood pressure was well over 200 and I was just sitting at home watching television.
"The way I look at it is, if you're going to go, you may as well go in the dugout, go happy."
Martindale also discussed his much-publicised route from a prison sentence for involvements with organised crime to managing a top-flight Scottish club.
He says he "visualises formations" in his sleep and the impact losing matches has on his family.
Livingston drew 1-1 with struggling Dundee United last month, the same day daughter Georgia celebrated her birthday.
"I expected to win, how guilty I felt sitting in on the Saturday night trying to be as positive as I can because it was Georgia's birthday," Martindale said.
"How bad is it that you have to tell yourself that?
"You go home, the dog's not even coming to see you, the wee one doesn't come out her room and the wife's sitting on the seat.
"You actually kill their weekend, don't you? It's horrible."
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