Wolves’ Irish defender Nathan Collins shares what he gets up to once the game is finished in the latest edition of After the Final Whistle.
Back in the changing room
“I’d shake the hands of the lads and clap the fans, no matter the result, because they’ve spent their hard-earned money to come and watch us, so it’s the least I can do. After that, I’ll go in and get my liquids and food, and listen to the Gaffer speak after the game. You dwell on the game a bit, talk with the squad, then you get ready again. You do your recovery, the ice baths, physio work, then I have a shower and head home.”
Reacting to a win or loss
“I try to keep it the same as much as possible, keep in a good routine every day of the week, no matter what. It’s just about making myself feel as good as possible for the next day.”
Speaking to the press
“I don’t mind it because, at the end of the day, it’s a part of the job. I have to speak the truth, there’s no point bluffing my way through anything. I try to give my point of view and be as honest as possible.”
Starting recovery
“As soon as the Gaffer’s finished speaking, you’re in with the physios, in the ice baths, doing everything you can to help you the next day.”
Post-match food
“It’s always different what you get at the stadiums. I’d usually have a pasta or some proteins, chicken and pasta or rice are usually my go-to meals.
Getting over a defeat
“It depends if we’re playing Saturday-Tuesday or Wednesday, I’ll dwell on it Saturday and Sunday, but try to get rid of it on the Monday so I can focus on the next game. If it’s a Saturday-Saturday, I’ll take my time, go through it Sunday and Monday, looking at my clips and going over the whole game and try to not make the same mistakes again.”
Watching the game back
“I’ll watch it on my own the day after the game and then we’ll go through it as a team on the Monday as well.”
Social media reaction
“I’m not the biggest person on social media, I try to stay away from it. It can kill your vibe, there’s a lot of people on there talking about you, so I try to stay off it as much as possible. I keep low key and just speak to my family and friends.”
Relaxing and recovering
“It’s hard because you’ve had a lot of caffeine and are buzzing about – your head is buzzing. I struggle to sleep after a game, it can be 3 or 4am. I try to take whatever I can to help, but it doesn’t work, so I just try to relax and play on my PlayStation until I’m tired.”
Talking it through
“Usually, my family or girlfriend are at the game, so usually them straight away. Then I’ll speak to my dad, brother, uncle or agent to take about the game, about how I played. They’re really honest and I’ll be honest with myself. They’ll tell me what I’ve got to do better and critique me. We’ll go over the game tactically and have a good talk about the game. As a footballer, I think it’s good, it helps me to understand the game more.”
