Testing positive for Covid-19 is undoubtedly tough. Going through the experience twice is unfathomable.
That’s the scenario Ross McCrorie has faced in 2020, however, with his international duty with the Scotland under-21s exposing him to the coronavirus for the second time.
His previous positive test came while on loan at Portsmouth in March, but the Scottish under-21 captain bears no ill will. He’s just relieved it is all over.
He said: “It’s been hugely frustrating, but it was just unfortunate.
“There were a few people in the Scotland U21 squad who ended up getting it. It was just unfortunate what happened.
“Having to sit in my flat and self-isolate for two weeks was hugely frustrating, but obviously we’ve got to stick to the protocols and keep everyone safe.
“It was a massive shock to me. I never really expected it as I’ve been following the protocols.
“It can happen to anyone. You can get it from anywhere. Obviously I had it before, so it was quite a big shock.
“I think your immunity runs out after a while. I had a positive test way back in March, but I’m not sure if that test was 100 per cent.
“Then again there were a few boys who had to at Pompey at the time. So I don’t know for sure. I’m just glad to be back kicking a ball and hopefully I can get back to normal now.”
For McCrorie, isolating was the easy part. He had done that before while at Pompey when football had been stopped. With the games still being played in his absence, trying to train indoors in preparation for a return was a far greater challenge.
He said: “I’m not going to lie, it’s quite tough mentally.
“Some of the boys who had it were with their families, but I was just by myself, stuck inside looking at the four walls for two weeks.
“I think I completed Netflix.
“I had a few workouts. The sports scientist here sent some things over and I managed to keep myself fit and ticking over.
“Obviously it’s not the same as being out on the pitch.
“I literally cleared the living room – the table was way up to the other end of the room.
“I was actually doing doggies at one point and a wee Les Mills workout on YouTube.
“I had a laugh with some of the boys but I think for a few people it might have been looking at my window. Some of the star jumps might not have gone down too well.”
McCrorie put his Covid misery behind him as he returned to action in the 1-1 draw at St Mirren last weekend and the midfielder is eager to get season up and running again after his enforced absence when Ross County visit Pittodrie today.
He said: “You can get it anywhere, a lot of teams have been affected so it was just unfortunate that people in the team got it.
“Now I’m back, that’s in the past and I don’t want to focus on what’s happened. I am just happy to be back and want to build on getting playing again.
“We had a good start to the season so I just want to get back to the form we were in.
“We have been on the road a fair bit, the Hibs game was the last time we played at home.
“The last few games haven’t been at the level of performance required, so we want to rectify that and get three points this weekend.
“If we can get to the level we want to be, accumulate as many points as we can then we’ll see where we are at the end of the season.”