FOOTBALL IS A HEADACHE

Clarke Carlisle has come in for some stick recently, following his attempted suicide and his brave public admission to this act. It is hard to understand mental illness, so it is unfair for individuals to make their feelings public by accusing people like Carlisle as “selfish”. Neuroscientists are beginning to recognise patterns in the brain that lead to such distressing decision making, although how they manage to decode the brain and its trillions of “synapses” beats me.

We all suffer one way or another from depression triggers, such as relationships that go wrong, family bereavements, loss of prestige, unemployment or just a simple bang on the head. Footballers are classic examples of sportsmen who can have a quick “fall”. I don't think David Beckham or Frank Lampard will suffer from a “fall” but there will be many who will find a dark corner and disappear from the limelite after failing at a career that was going to give them the lifestyle they hoped would lead to fame and fortune. Some, however, will just clash heads a lot as they play football and eventually find that not all is well.

Looking at the face of debut boy, Owen Shenton, yesterday as he came on for Stoke City for a few seconds towards the end of the league game against Manchester City said it all. A 17 year old at the beginning of a career, the world is his oyster; what next? Has he got an agent? Does he have a plan? Is there a personal trainer or a psychologist nearby?Will he head the ball much?

Xpro, the charity for ex-professionals tell us that 3 in 5 ex-PL players are bankrupt within five years of retirement and one in three divorced within a year. Help lines and funding for Sporting Chance provide necessary back up when things go wrong, hoping to prevent further disasters.

Reflect on the number of individuals who are employed by clubs to keep footballers fit, safe and secure, physically and socially. Fitness coaches, pyschologists, masseurs, the dreaded agents, dieticians, spiritual healers (Glen Hoddle!), financial advisors, the Club Chaplain! It goes on. Is there a brain scanner on board? Do they do the job?

Let's hope our super stars stay sane and maybe some may remember Jeff Astle, whose brain was analysed after he died prematurely from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition which means players are “punch drunk” in simplest terms. CTE can lead to depression, mood swings and memory loss so there is much to consider. Astle's family have launched a “Justice for Jeff” campaign after the FA had delayed the report on the player's condition. Astle was a successful centre forward who put his head where it hurt.

Head injuries need better monitoring and as highlighted by the recent case of George North in rugby and many American Football League players, publicity and lawsuits will prevail.