Matt Doherty was once one of Ireland's most promising Premier League prospects. While his career may not have panned out as he envisaged, the 32-year-old Dubliner has spent time at some of the world's biggest football clubs and played under some of its most prolific managers from Jose Mourinho to Diego Simeone.
As you'd expect, playing under characters of the calibre of Simeone and Mourinho is quite the experience, however, speaking about his admittedly 'brilliant' time in Spain, Doherty made a staggering admission about Simeone.
In 2023 a plateauing Matt Doherty who had agreed to terminate his contract with Tottenham moved to Atletico Madrid on a six-month contract in a risky bid to rejuvenate his career. There he played under the renowned Diego Simeone, however, the Dubliner would only make two appearances for the side before calling a day on his Spanish hiatus and returning to Wolverhampton.
While since then Doherty has enjoyed a mixed run of form, his recent omission from Heimir Hallgrímsson's Ireland squad in October has cast the defender's form back into the limelight.
10 September 2024; Matt Doherty of Republic of Ireland before the UEFA Nations League B Group 2 match between Republic of Ireland and Greece at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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Matt Doherty Makes Staggering Diego Simeone Revelation
Speaking to The 42's David Sneyd in a sit-down interview, a refreshingly honest Doherty had little problem opening up about the trials and tribulations of his career and how he faired during his six months in Spain.
The 32-year-old was talking about the experience of playing in Spain when he revealed that his Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone only spoke to him twice during his time there, once upon his arrival and again when he was leaving.
I haven't played a huge amount in the last six years, obviously I had that six month holiday in Spain.
Normally with new players he (Diego Simeone) doesn't speak to them for the for the first six months, but I was only there for six months!
He pulled me in with a translator the week I left saying sorry that I didn't get more time, but that I carried myself well, kept training and was professional. Stuff like that.
While Diego Simeone may have given Matt Doherty just 16 minutes of game time and spoke to him only twice, the defender didn't let it hamper his 'brilliant' time on the continent.
I loved it, to a point. Once you realise you're probbaly not going to play. I spoke to a lot of the players, and they were literally saying to me that I'm better off just enjoying the experience.
What an unbelievable experience, I just couldn't say no to that when it came up.
After his 'holiday' under Simeone, Doherty returned to Wolverhampton for a second stint at the club where he'd previously accrued 260 caps.
Despite the fact that since returning Matt Doherty has failed to garner the same momentum he once had, the Irish right-back is confident that it won't be long before he gets some more game time back under his belt.
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