A new survey of footballers aged under 24 and who were released in 2020 has revealed that almost three quarters do not believe they received enough support from their former clubs.
More than 100 footballers, dropped by Premier League and EFL teams, contributed to the analysis and 88 per cent said that they had suffered anxiety and/or depression as a result of being let go.
Last week in an interview with i, Max Noble, a former Fulham academy player and Wales youth international, detailed harrowing experiences of racism, bullying and threatening behaviour that led to him considering suicide after being released. Noble suffered anxiety and depression that he still deals with.
i also revealed that, while Noble left academy football over a decade ago, players are still struggling after being discarded by clubs and many do not believe enough is done to support them.
Noble called for clubs to owe academy players a duty of care if they consider them good enough to disrupt their traditional schooling but end up releasing them.
The new survey, carried out by ITV News, found that 72 per cent of players felt they were not given enough support by their club upon release – a figure rising to 84 per cent in the Championship. Almost half – 47 per cent – felt both anxious and depressed as a result. Furthermore, 85 per cent said they would still go through the academy system again, although 52 per cent said they would not recommend their former club to others.
Troy Townsend, Kick It Out’s head of development and father to Crystal Palace midfielder Andros, told i last week that he was coming across increasing numbers of cases of parents struggling to deal with the impact being released from academy football had on their child’s mental health. Townsend said that football must open its eyes to the harm the academy system causes young players.
Former England and Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland yesterday joined Noble’s calls for an aftercare system.
“Every club has a duty of care to help players after they’ve played for the club, whether that’s for a year after they’ve played or 10 years, so there’s a lot more that can be done but it’s got to start from the clubs for me. Individual clubs have got to look after their own,” Kirkland told ITV News.
The Premier League and EFL insist much is being done to support players for life outside of football.
Former England and Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland joined Noble’s calls for an aftercare system to be put in place.
“Every club has got a duty of care to help players after they’ve played for the club, whether that’s for a year after they’ve played for them or ten years, so there’s a lot more that can be done but it’s got to start from the clubs for me. Individual clubs have got to look after their own,” Kirkland told ITV News.
The Premier League and EFL insist that much is being done to support players for life outside of football.
A Premier League spokesman said: “We have a really robust database of players three-to-five years post scholarship and are working with clubs and the PFA to track those who are now slightly older – 23, 24, 25 – and seeing where they are. Each club is now creating their Academy alumni and through the player care manager and the education staff, they’re trying to track those players more effectively to offer support or to keep in touch.”
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3cJsuer
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