Brendan Rodgers reveals 'most traumatic four years' of his life have come at Liverpool

Rodgers reveals off-field issues in a new book, Living on the Volcano, by the Independent on Sunday's Michael Calvin

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Brendan Rodgers has revealed he has endured the "most traumatic four years of my life" in a new book written by the Independent on Sunday's Michael Calvin.

The book, 'Living On The Volcano: The Secrets of Surviving as a Football Manager' - out on Thursday - gives an insight into the world of management in England and includes interviews with the Liverpool manager, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and dozens of others from every level of the professional game.

Rodgers, who entered the season as the favourite to be sacked first in the Premier League, reveals that he has had to come huge challenges off the field to be a success at Anfield.

"I’ve been through probably the most traumatic four years of my life," he tells Calvin. "I lost my mum. I lost my dad. I split up from the woman I loved for 23 years. I had a court case, two Old Bailey trials over six weeks with my son who was charged with sexual assault, which was an absolute disgrace. Yet professionally, here and at Swansea, these have been the best four years of my life."

Rodgers compartmentalises his life to better deal with the challenges.

"Something has to come from within," he adds. "You have to put the professional and personal to each side. It’s about being happy of course, but the owners have paid me to do a job, so I will do the job. There’s a story about Jimmy Sirrel at Notts County which has stuck with me since I was a young coach.

"His wife, Cathy, died late on the Friday night, but he came in on the Saturday. Nothing was said. He got on with his job, he did his job. Team played the game, won the game. Normally after every game, him and his wife would sit at a little table and have a glass. Then they’d go.

"This Saturday night he quickly popped into the bar. Someone asked about his wife, and he said, ‘She died last night’. He’d lost the woman of his life, his right hand, but he still came in and did his job. Makes you think, doesn’t it?"

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Michael Calvin’s latest book, ‘Living On The Volcano: The Secrets of Surviving as a Football Manager’, is published by Century (£16.99) on Thursday. His last two books, ‘The Nowhere Men’ and ‘Proud’, a collaboration with former British Lions captain Gareth Thomas, have been named Sports Book of The Year