'It wasn't my time': Former Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie lucky to be alive after suffering cardiac arrest
Former Premier League manager Iain Dowie insists he is “very lucky” to be alive after suffering a cardiac arrest at his local gym.
The 59-year-old, who spent periods in charge of crystal PalaceCharlton and Hull in the top flight collapsed during a spinning class.
And he was quick to thank them for saving his life, stating that it was “not his time” to leave.
speaking to BBC sportHe said: “I went to a spin class and I don't remember much else. Unfortunately, I had a big cardiac arrest.
“A lot of people took care of me and I did great things in the gym, then the ambulance took care of me and I ended up in the hospital for a few days.”
Dowie then spoke about the “terrifying” scenes his wife witnessed first-hand, and revealed that a defibrillator had been placed in her heart.
He continued: “I have been brilliant since then and heart is in good shape.
“I have a little something, an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) installed that will hopefully keep me going for another 20 years.
“It was probably scarier for my wife to see it.
“But my opinion is that I'm one of those guys who looks forward and I've been very, very lucky.
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“I was in the right place to have it and maybe it just wasn't my time.”
Dowie enjoyed a long playing career for 16 years before hanging up his boots in 2001.
He enjoyed success at Southampton, West Ham and Palace before retiring at QPR.
The former Coventry manager also scored 12 goals in 59 international matches for the Northern Ireland national team between 1990 and 1999.
After three spells as a manager in the Premier League, Dowie has not held a head coaching position since leaving Hull in 2010.
Dowie currently works as director of football relations for Northern Ireland club Larne, where he was present at Inver Park on Saturday to see them claim a second successive Premiership title.
