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Old TV, music help Irvine tackle lockdown

3 minute read

Some 1990s television classics and his passion for music are helping Socceroo Jackson Irvine to deal with life in coronavirus lockdown.

JACKSON IRVINE.
JACKSON IRVINE. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images)

As Hull City's captain, he's already a 'Tiger King' but it's not Netflix's hit new series which has helped Socceroo Jackson Irvine to wile away the hours in coronavirus lockdown.

While large parts of the world have used the extra time at home to binge-watch the mini-series about American zookeeper Joe Exotic, there's a more retro feel to Irvine's viewing choices as the English Championship's suspension rolls into a second month.

"I've been rewatching some classics, some favourite old ones of mine," the Socceroos' midfielder told AAP.

"I've just started rewatching Twin Peaks and I've been rewatching Buffy the Vampire Slayer as well.

"I've been having a real throwback kind of isolation in that sense."

Away from retro television, another facet of Irvine's life getting him through isolation is music.

Irvine's passion for music is well known and he concedes some of his newest records are quickly becoming vintage due to repeated plays.

"It's always something to do in terms of playing records, playing music," he said.

"I've been probably playing my guitar more in this little time than I had in a while before that.

"It's a great outlet to have ... to be creative whether it's music or artistic things. It's a chance to explore maybe those things that you haven't had a chance to go with for a while."

A self-confessed "terrible" trainer in isolation, Irvine admits he has increasingly found himself missing the competitive nature of football the most during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While he's been keeping fit at home, the 27-year-old concedes it's a far cry from the life he's come to love over the past decade as a professional footballer in the United Kingdom.

"I miss the competitive edge of training, of playing small-sided games, doing possession drills," he said.

"I thrive on competition and just running against the clock for me is absolute torture. I've never been great at it and this has been a bit of a test for me in that way to make sure that I'm still finding ways to keep myself switched on in that way.

"I'm a professional and you do the work you have to do for sure but I'm very much missing the competitive edge to football and not even being able to watch live games ... you just feel there's a hole where football's kind of gone and it is really bizarre."

In an ideal world, Irvine would have headed home to Melbourne to stay with family during the lockdown.

He's had to stay in England, however, with Hull's position in the Championship far from secure.

While it's unknown just when or if the Tigers' campaign will resume, a 5-1 loss to Stoke before the suspension means, with nine games to play, Hull are two points above the relegation positions.

Irvine says halting his club's slide and avoiding relegation are motivation enough to ensure he maintains his fitness and conditioning during the lockdown.

"If the decision's made that the season's ended, then that will obviously be from government advice and from everything else that comes with it. We'll just deal with that situation as it comes," he said.

"We are fully focused that that Charlton game, that next game, is going to be played at some point whether it's in June or later even.

"We're going to be just ready for when that game comes because we are in a very sticky situation and that game's gonna put a big swing on the rest of the season. Got to be ready for it."

Irvine is also looking ahead to a big 12 months for the Socceroos including rescheduled World Cup qualifiers, a possible trip to the Copa America in mid-2021 and - if Graham Arnold gives him a call - even next year's Olympics.

"Being a part of the Olympic Games is the pinnacle of a lot of the sporting world and for probably for just about everything outside of football," said Irvine, who was part of the Olyroos' squad which failed to qualify for Rio 2016.

"To be a part of that and especially for the Olyroos who have done so well to go out and help them compete for a medal and for yourself and your family - the whole situation is incredibly exciting.

"If that call came, I'd obviously be chomping to try and be a part of it."

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