Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann on his relentless approach, family and time on the road

He did briefly allow himself to indulge in the aftermath of Doncaster Rovers’ promotion-clinching win over Yorkshire rivals Bradford City on April 26 - mixing with supporters in a local hostelry to toast that feat before his mind quickly turned to other matters.

He also let his hair down - not for too long, mind - after Rovers secured League Two silverware at Notts County seven days later.

What speaks volumes about the relentless mindset of the Rovers chief is what occurred less than 48 hours after that aforesaid game with the Bantams.

McCann said: "We are in a staff group chat and they were putting pictures in on the Monday of the celebrations (after Bradford) and stuff like that and I sent a picture straight back of me drinking a coffee in Costa and watching Notts County’s last three games.

"It’s just the way I have always worked and I want to always go onto ‘the next one’."

The above also helps to explain why the driven Doncaster boss soon moved on following Rovers’ return to the third tier and immediately threw himself into the next challenge and the start of another painstaking – but hopefully rewarding – journey in League One.

Recruitment was his next focus and while many rival managers were away on their holidays, McCann elected to forego a pre-planned family break to try and get a head-start on his rivals.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail, as the saying goes.

Rovers’ business in the first part of the summer window has been very brisk.

No less than eight players have arrived thus far in the shape of Robbie Gotts, Glenn Middleton, Matty Pearson, Brandon Hanlan and Sean Grehan alongside loan trio Thimothee Lo-Tutala, Damola Ajayi and Connor O’Riordan, with the newcomers currently assimilating with their team-mates during the club’s warm-weather training camp in Spain.

As for his own lack of rest this summer? The fact that McCann is from a football family who have always understood his obsession and dedication to his work helps to explain their patience.

McCann's brother Ryan was an Irish League player with the likes of Linfield, while his eldest son Bayley is a young professional making his way at Barnsley, having made his senior debut last term. Youngest son Frankie is catching the eye in Peterborough United's academy.

McCann has raised three football-mad sons with his wife Kelly. Their middle son Jesse also excels in the Peterborough and District Junior Alliance League.

McCann's father Sam acts as a bit of a sounding board as well.

McCann continued: "My dad speaks to me all the time about football and how I am doing and what my thoughts are and asks me about my team and likes to get the insight into it and questions me on one or two things as he watches us all the time.

"It’s just myself, Cliff (Byrne) and my father I would say. That's really it.

"My wife really stays away from it and doesn’t really get involved.

"She has actually got to the stage now where probably about two years ago, she stopped wishing me good luck because it was actually constantly causing me bad luck! So I don’t get any conversations from her.”

McCann’s thinking time on his own invariably comes while he is on the road.

With the family home still in the Peterborough area, the Rovers chief knows the drive up the A1 to South Yorkshire and back like the back of his hand.

McCann, one of a number of managers across the EFL who are well versed with fair-sized commutes, said: "I think it is really important for me.

"It takes me just over an hour to get in down the A1 and it’s nice, particularly when I leave about 5.30am in the morning for that nice little drive in and the birds are chirping.

"It’s not nice in the winter when all the roads are pitch-black! But it does give you a lot of time to think about what we need to do in the day or week and I enjoy that.

"As long as you get the balance right. I do it maybe once a week and maybe a couple of nights a week, I stay up. If you do it every time, you’d get exhausted.

"It does give me a bit of thinking time, whether driving in or driving home. It’s really beneficial.”