SPORT RALLIES TO LENNON
62 players asked for help last year . . . and the numbers are rising
THE world of football rallied behind Everton winger Aaron Lennon yesterday as it was revealed more than 60 current players have sought help for mental health issues. Lennon’s ordeal when he was detained on Sunday under the Mental Health Act has sparked support from around the globe and he is said to be ‘making good progress’ from his stress-related illness. Yesterday the Professional Footballers’ Association disclosed that last year 160 members contacted their welfare service, of which 62 were current players and 98 were ex-pros. ‘We are dealing with a societal problem, not a football problem,’ said the PFA’s head of welfare Michael Bennett, who added that the numbers seeking help had risen each year since the service was set up in 2012. ‘If it impacts society, it impacts football. For us, it’s a person who happens to play football.’ Sources close to Lennon (left) are confident of a
full recovery following the distressing events on Sunday when police were called to a location in Salford, greater Manchester, with concerns over the player.
The tracksuited 30-year- old was at the side of a busy thoroughfare close to the M602 motorway and officers believed he was in a precarious situation. lennon was detained and taken to Salford Royal Hospital for assessment. It is understood that lennon recently took a bump to the head, which may be linked to his behaviour.
Everton expressed their gratitude for the messages of support for the player and repeated their plea for privacy. a club spokesman said: ‘Thank you for all the kind messages for aaron. We are supporting him through this and his family has appealed for privacy.’
Everton players and staff were shocked to learn of lennon’s condition yesterday as he had trained and received physiotherapy at the Finch Farm training ground in recent weeks.
Bennett pledged to work with both Everton and lennon, adding: ‘The stigma is lessening, with more and more people speaking out like Clarke Carlisle, Rio Ferdinand and Prince Harry. a high-profile former player came to me last week and said, “If they can do it, so can I” — the taboo gets removed. The support is in place for the club and the player. There is a lot of love for him. I’d say to him, “Take your time and get well”.’
Former Crystal Palace, Everton and England striker andy Johnson pledged to give 10p to mental health charity Mind for every retweet of his supportive post. last night, it had been retweeted more than 70,000 times.
Former PFa chairman Carlisle, who had a season at leeds with lennon early in his career and has suffered from mental health issues himself, wrote on Twitter: ‘love and blessings to my old team-mate aaron lennon. nail this now and there’s plenty more left in the tank my friend xxx.’
Everton signed lennon, capped 21 times by England, from Spurs for £4million in 2015. He has made 13 appearances for the Merseyside club this season, the last of which came in the goalless draw against Middlesbrough on February 11 when he came off the bench in the second half. a 2015 survey by international players’ union Fifpro found that more than a third of players reported symptoms of depression and mental health issues. They said 38 per cent of 607 players interviewed reported having problems at some stage — especially those who had suffered serious injuries.
Martin ling, the former Swindon manager with 31 years’ experience in the game who has suffered from severe depression, believes footballers are prone to problems. ‘ You’re in a cutthroat industry,’ he told Sportsmail. ‘We often talk about mental toughness and strength in football. I didn’t equate that to mental illness, but now I’ve been through what I have, I can see how it is.
‘People used to say to me the game’s between your ears and I didn’t believe them. I thought you shouldn’t need people to help you be mentally strong. now I’m a believer. If your brain breaks it’s dangerous.
‘With football you’re in the public domain all the time. aaron lennon could play Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday and he could be judged and critiqued three times in the week and in public. It can affect anyone. aaron found out at 30 years old he’s suffering. It took him to a dark place.’
The PFa have 90 fully trained counsellors who work across the country and a helpline open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Psychologist Bradley Bush, who works for Innerdrive, is increasingly seeing high-profile players — including England internationals and Manchester United and Tottenham players — who come to him for help.
He says players are adding psychologists to their private nutritionists and strength and conditioning coaches, but often do not want their club or teammates to know about it, as there remains the ‘ perception that they’re seeing a shrink’.
Bush said: ‘ Wealth and fame don’t insulate you from mental health issues. There are certain parts of the job that mean they are more at risk of mental health issues.
‘There is a degree of pressure from the fact you’re constantly being evaluated. These players have to learn how to do their job in front of 50,000 people. For younger athletes it’s hard to deal with.
‘ The perception is that because they’re physically fit and earning lots of money, they have no right to be depressed, stressed, suffer from anxiety and it makes it harder as they have to live up to false perceptions. Players with a certain degree of fame find it challenging to find help because they worry it could be brought out in public.’
all 20 Premier league clubs have a mental health professional available to provide immediate help and support and specialists regularly visit academies to teach young players.