Koeman vows total support for Lennon

rOnAlD KOeMAn has promised Aaron lennon time is no issue and vowed to give the everton winger unrelenting support in his recovery from stress-related illness.

The former england international was detained under the Mental Health Act on sunday following an incident near his home in Greater Manchester. He is continuing to receive treatment and has yet to be contacted by his manager or team-mates. It is an issue that has stunned everyone at everton. lennon, who is a popular member of the firstteam squad, has been sidelined since February 11 with a muscle injury but last week he had been training with the group. ‘We will support and help him to come back,’ said Koeman (below). ‘If it takes time, it takes time. But we will support. We don’t drop the support to him. We will keep it (our feelings) inside. It is between himself, the club and his family.

‘On one side the pressures have increased (in football) because the whole social media is different than it was 20 years ago. That is of course more pressure, more football, more games, international football: it is really tough.’

lennon’s plight has shocked the world of sport and brought into focus the subject of mental health. england manager Gareth southgate, speaking to headteachers at the Boarding schools’ Association conference, said yesterday: ‘I didn’t understand the issue of mental health fully as a player, I have a much better understanding of it as a coach.

‘Having handled a couple of players, I’ve spoken to them subsequently and said, “I apologise because I didn’t understand what you were going through”.

‘It is a highly pressured environment. For any performer going on stage, there’s enormous anxiety. There is that element of, “Can I do it today?” and self-doubt.

‘We are also in a sport where boys aren’t comfortable opening up. The women’s team are brilliant at sharing collectively, they have a different dynamic as a group.’