Revealed: How Hibs star's devastating childhood diagnosis fuelled football ambition of Socceroos hopeful
Former Bolton defender opens up on diabetes, leaving home at 15 and long-distance family support
As a schoolboy footballer dreaming the same dreams as millions around the world, Jack Iredale always knew that the path to the top would involve overcoming a few obstacles. And, true enough, the young Aussie would eventually face the same sorts of challenges that confronted so many of his contemporaries, including moving a long, long way from home at the age of 15 AND the inevitable injury setbacks that only a lucky few manage to dodge.
Even before navigating those tricky stumbling blocks, however, the young Iredale had already coped with plenty. And, he believes, become stronger for the experience.
“Even before the injuries I went through some things where I had to show a bit of character,” he revealed, the Hibs defender adding: “I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 12 years old - and I think that made me grow up really, really quickly.
“Moving away from home when I was 15, and then obviously the injuries not long after that. One thing it did do was solidify the fact that the only thing I've ever wanted to do was be a footballer.
“So I don't take it for granted how lucky I am. I've got the best job in the world; I wake up and go and kick a ball around with my mates.
“When I was going through those times, the only focus I had was: ‘Can I play football again?’ Obviously, I was studying a little bit just in case. But it really did solidify the fact that this is the only thing I want to do and I'm not going to take it for granted.”
Iredale wants his example of living with diabetes to be an example to families coping with the same situation, answering a question about how the disease affects him by declaring: “I won't let it. That's the message I want to put out there, especially for young people who are being diagnosed, and parents are going through it as well at the same time as their kids. If you control it, it's not going to affect you from doing anything.
“It probably meant that I took things more seriously in terms of my diet and making sure what I'm doing off the pitch. I need to make sure that I'm looking after myself to be able to perform at this level.
“Yeah, obviously there's a lot of times where I wish I didn't have it but at the same time there's nothing I can do about it. I've just got to make sure that I'm controlling it in the right way to give myself the best chance possible.”
Recalling the period when he was adjusting to the diagnosis, with support from parents Paul and Fiona, Iredale admitted: “Yeah, I mean, a bit of a whirlwind. At the same time, when I was younger, growing up I did judo quite a lot and two of my teammates were Type 1 diabetic and they were national champions, so I already had that vision of seeing they'd been diagnosed but they can still compete at the top level in the country in their sport. That gave me a lot of confidence.
“I had a really good friend group; they were all more interested in the fact that I had jelly beans in my case rather than anything else! It made me grow up. It makes you have to think a lot more than probably other kids at that stage but now I'm a bit older and I've had it for so long, it's just another part of life.”
Australian Institute of Sport scholarship
In an industry where first-team debuts can come at you faster than a pop quiz in a Nat 5 history class, players often undergo a sort of accelerated maturation process. Depending on basic geography, it often involves leaving the nest far long before pals are even thinking about moving out for work or study.
Iredale, who left his family behind at the age of 15 in pursuit of a professional career, explained: “I got a scholarship with the AIS, the Australian Institute of Sport, where they bring in 10, 11 of the best people with the most potential at that age and bring them into a centralised area in Canberra. So from where I was in Perth, it was a 4-hour flight over to the other side of the country.
“Bu I've always been blessed. I had a really good host family and really good teammates that made that transition easier, and the AIS had the best facilities in the world and gave me everything I could to succeed.
“So I was lucky, but again, growing up, especially in Australia your whole aim is … you probably know if you want to make it, you’re going to have to leave home and travel to the other side of the world. So it was just a learning process and then, when I got a bit older again, I knew I'd done that so I could go to the UK and give it a go.”
Three cruciate ligament injuries would follow as Iredale fought for every minute of game time through the ranks, his journey including a stint at Greenock Morton, as well as playing for Cambridge United, Carlisle United and, most notably, Bolton Wanderers before pitching up at Hibs in the summer. It’s hard not to typify the guy as your archetypal Aussie battler, right?
Paul and Fiona have been with him, at least in spirit, every step of the way, Iredale laughing when asked if they’d be watching tomorrow’s Edinburgh derby on TV back home, revealing: “They watch every game - even the eight o'clock kick-off for us over here, that's half three, four o'clock in the morning for them at home. So they watch every single game.
“I'm an only child, so I'm very close to my family and they've been my biggest supporters ever since I was young. So they're quite proud of me.”
Edinburgh derby guaranteed to attract audience Down Under
Given the number of Socceroos players/hopefuls involved in tomorrow’s meeting of Hibs and Hearts at Easter Road, it’s a fair bet that Australian national team gaffer Tony Popovic will also be tuning in. Giving Iredale a chance to impress the man who could make his international dreams come true.
“It's been right at the top of my goals list ever since I moved to that country and I saw my football development really kick on,” said Iredale, born in Scotland but raised Down Under. “I was lucky enough to be capped at Under-17 level for Australia and since then I've been desperate to get back in. So it's still right at the very top of my goal list
“They keep track, I've been in a couple of extended squads. They keep track in terms of the S&C side to make sure, just to see how we're feeling and keep tabs, but other than that I'm just focused on playing well here and then if anything else happens …”