Players don’t all live in mansions ..they can’t get the space to ask for help

SAYS EX-CITY STAR JEFF WHITLEY

JEFF WHITLEY has been through enoug enough addiction issues of his own to kno know the worst may be yet to come.

New figures show a dramatic drop in the nu number of players who asked for counse counselling from the Sporting Chance charit charity. Of the 464 referrals, five per cent were from the women’s game.

The fall from last year’s all-time h high of 653 may be su surprising given the pande pandemic with many, particu particularly in the EFL, worrie worried about where their n next pay cheque is coming from.

But former Manchester City midfie midfielder Whitley, now a trained couns counsellor and Player Welfare Execut Executive, is not surprised, although he is conc concerned by the statistics from the Profess Professional Footballers’ Association.

Whi Whitley, who went into rehab for drink and drugs while also going bankru bankrupt, is concerned it could be down t to players not being able to ask for help hel while in lockdown, and fears that c could mean bigger problems further down the road.

Whi Whitley, 41, talking to raise awareness ness in Mental Health Week, said: “We had lockdown and not everyone had access to a quiet room in the house.

“It’s very difficult to ask for therapy or help if you’re surrounded by people in the house who are the people who are actually the problem. They might be stood at the door. We don’t all live in a big mansion.

“Maybe the worst is to come because you don’t know what’s around the corner. It’s a huge event which happened to lots and lots of people that it’s almost become normalised. People think, ‘I’m not the only one going through it’. Or, ‘Lots of people are losing their jobs’.”

Whitley turned to the PFA in 2007 when he felt he was “dying” of his problems and checked into the Sporting Chance clinic, which former England captain Tony Adams helped build after his struggle with alcohol.

“The PFA were great for me, going into Sporting Chance and tackling my addictions,” said Whitley. “It’s only when you need help that you realise what help is available from your union.

“People only really come on to us when they have a problem. When people come on, they feel guilty, shame and weak.

“But we don’t want players ringing us up in crisis. We want them ringing us up before they hit that point.”

It’s difficult to ask for help when you are surrounded by people at home