Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Kids must be helped to survive
FORMER Manchester City star Paul Lake says Premier League academies are focusing on the mental welfare of young players more than ever before. City midfielder Lake was destined for a big career with the Blues but in 1990, aged just 21, he suffered the first of three cruciate knee injuries which wrecked his dreams. Lake then suffered with mental health issues as he saw all his hopes and ambitions disappear. Now he is channelling his own experiences into his work for the Premier League with youngsters at North West clubs. Young players are under more pressure than ever, and to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, Lake says it is vital that even very young players are not afraid to speak out if they are suffering. Lake said: “Every single player is discussed by the Academy staff, which is headed up by the head of player care. So any problems can be aired. “Most importantly, the players have got somebody to speak to. There’s always a member of staff at hand to make sure they get the care and the guidance required.” Lake’s broken career had a serious impact on his own mental wellbeing, but he said talking through his problems with a City doctor, and not bottling them up, was a huge help. “All my dreams, all my aspirations, and even my identity, were lost and shattered,” he said. “I was really in a bad place. “I let him know how I was feeling, all my problems, all my negative thoughts, everything that I could think of. “It really helped. He understood, he listened, he guided me and gave me a strategy to work towards coming out the other side in a much better place. “It’s really important to speak out, to speak to somebody, be it family members or friends. “Whatever it takes, just to make sure that you do not bottle it all up inside.”