Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has revealed Christian Eriksen's collapse at Euro 2020 has brought back memories of his own heart scare two years ago.
Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest during Denmark’s group encounter with Finland, and speaking to Newstalk, Kenny recalled his own congenital heart disorder.
The then Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager required CPR and a defibrillator to restart his heart in September 2019 following a 3-1 European qualifier win away to Sweden.
Kenny collapsed at the airport before emergency attention by Dr Mortimer O’Connor saved his life.
They couldn't get a pulse, or a heartbeat
'It was just a certain number of staff that had stayed with myself because they knew I wasn't well," he said. "The players didn't see it because they had gone through, but there was a big scene at the airport.
"Obviously, it was very serious. They couldn't get a pulse, or a heartbeat. Apparently, I had turned blue, so it was a serious situation. Jim Crawford said to me the next morning: 'I'm not going to lie to you, Stephen - I thought you were dead.'
An electrical issue with the heart was the cause and the former Dundalk boss had a pacemaker fitted in a Swedish hospital before returning home.
He revealed he immediately considered whether the setback would impact his progression to take over the senior Irish job, but says he is now fitter than ever and watching the traumatic events at Euro 2020 unfold make him grateful for his outcome.
"I reflect and I am very fortunate. At that time my children were 13, 15, 18 and 20. I can’t imagine the things I would have missed. It has been a blessing for me. I would have missed out on so much over the last couple of years, I am really grateful."
