"I'm no good here": Coach reflects on scary ordeal

Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman has opened up on the scary serious of events which saw requiring emergency surgery in Cairns last week.

Speaking to CODE Sports, Vickerman said he encountered numerous ‘red flags’ in the days leading up.

“I had some stomach aches, maybe 4pm Tuesday, and put myself to bed early, but I struggled to sleep and I wasn’t sure what it was,” Vickerman told CODE Sports.

“I knew there was a fair chance if I didn’t get better [after having a few issues over a couple of days], I’m no good here.”

Vickerman's pain continued to increase and by 8pm Wednesday night, he knew he might have a serious issue. He was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

His worst fears were realised when he arrived with CT scans revealing his appendix had already ruptured, increasing the risk of abdominal infection, abscesses, sepsis and bowel obstructions.

Fast-forward 14 hours, and Vickerman was going under the knife and eventually forced to watch his club’s Round 20 game from a hospital bed.

“I was back in recovery by the time the game started, but I had to watch it again on the plane on the way home, because I didn’t remember a lot. I was just pleased that we were getting buckets in the fourth quarter,” he said.

Vickerman wasn’t on the sidelines for Sunday’s game either, with Rhys Carter in charge, but explains he’s on the road to recovery, aiming to be back on deck for Thursday’s Throwdown against South East Melbourne.

“I’m pretty on point with what the recovery process is and what I have to do, but when you’ve had your intestines moved around, there’s just different triggers around what’s going on with your body,” he said.

Read the full story here >> Coach’s ‘scary’ emergency surgery amid wild road trip hospital ordeal