Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann has spoken publicly for the first time about his diagnosis and successful treatment for skin cancer last year. The 46-year-old Northern Irishman revealed the experience has given him a new perspective on the pressures of football management as his side sits 21st in League One with six points from seven games.

McCann said a doctor came to the club's training ground around Christmas to inform him he had a malignant melanoma. "If I want to talk about pressure, I think about the pressure that came on me around Christmas time last year when the doctor came to see me at the training ground to tell me I had a malignant melanoma, which is skin cancer," McCann told reporters. "That's pressure."

He confirmed he has since made a full recovery after surgery and treatment. "Fortunately I am ok now but I could have had five to six weeks to live," he said.

Current context and outlook

His comments come as Doncaster endure a testing start to the campaign, with their only win in eight matches this season coming via penalties against Stockport County in the Carabao Cup. The team's recent form shows one win, one draw and three losses in their last five league outings, leaving them nine points behind leaders Bradford City.

McCann, in his second stint as Rovers boss, emphasised a long-term view. "We haven't started the season well in terms of results." he stated. He expressed firm belief that the squad and staff, who he says give everything for the club, can turn things around. Supporters can track the team's progress in the standings and view the upcoming fixtures.

Sympathy for a colleague

McCann also shared his disappointment at the sacking of Michael Duff by Wycombe Wanderers, making Duff the first EFL manager to lose his job this season. The pair were teammates at Cheltenham Town and for Northern Ireland. "I just don't get the industry sometimes," McCann said, noting Duff had only just signed a striker before being dismissed.

Looking ahead, McCann wants to focus on daily improvement. "Every day we come in, we want to try and push this club closer to the top six," he said. Doncaster Rovers travel to face 16th-placed Luton Town on Saturday, 3 October.

The original report is at bbc.com