Psychologist helped me get through injury nightmare: Rose

DANNY Rose used a psychologist to help deal with one of the most difficult periods of his life, with jealousy and anger underpinned by despair during the Tottenham and England left-back’s lengthy injury lay-off.

A knee complaint that looked set to keep the 27-year-old out for weeks instead sidelined him for eight tortuous months, seeing him go under the knife in May.

It was a gut punch that left Rose reeling and meant that Sunday’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace was his first full match since January.

The left-back was surprised just how good he felt after a bog-standard afternoon for Tottenham that meant the world to the Yorkshireman.

“I have been impressed, jealous, angry — I have been through a whole load of emotions,” Rose said of watching Spurs from the sidelines.

“I’ve just been itching to get going for the past couple of weeks and I’m just grateful that I’m back. I’ve started seeing a psychologist to try and help me think positive and I’ve started reading books now to try and help keep me positive as well.

“This injury has been one of the most difficult periods of my life, but you’ve got to try and think of positives in any situation. I just hope that I can stay fit and pick up where I left off last season.”

Rose spoke frankly and openly in a wide-ranging interview with talkSPORT and BBC Radio 5 Live, offering a glimpse into the depths elite athletes can plummet during difficult times.

“Last season I was doing well,” he said. “I felt untouchable, I felt like I was one of the best.

“I felt that if I carried on with that form, anything could have happened. Then the injury happened. It humbled me, it brought me back down to earth.

“It just made me realise that football can be taken away from you at any given point.”

Working with a psychologist has been a “massive help” and Rose intends to keep doing so.

The left-back sees it as a way to help “make the right decisions going forward” as much as staying fit.

“I have learnt that it’s good to talk to people, not to sit back on your own and think about things by yourself.

“It’s good to talk to people and get other people’s information and opinions — and just share your problems, whatever you’re going through.

“I wish I would have done that at the start of my injury.” Open and honest: Danny Rose spoke frankly about his issues