Gary Neville has backed calls for a proper “mental health support system” to be created to help released academy footballers.
The fan-led review into the governance of English football, compiled and written by former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch, went beyond its remit to recommend more was done to support players who do not make it despite devoting their young lives to academies. Crouch said that the sheer volume of evidence she was presented with made it impossible to ignore.
i has spent the past year exposing the severe mental health problems former academy players have faced after being let go and the lack of support they received. Speaking to this newspaper in January, Max Noble, a former Fulham academy player who suffered from anxiety and depression as a result of his experiences, called for an aftercare system to be established for released players to support their mental health.
“It’s always been a problem,” Neville, the former England and Manchester United right-back, said. “One of my best friends still struggles to this day from his rejection at Manchester United at the age of 16.
“I think there is a mental health crisis in this country, and I think there is certainly mental health support needed for players who are, I suppose you’d call it dumped by the game, and have to be unfortunately. We know clubs hoover up players at the age 6, 7, 8, 9, bring them into academies and then there will be a large drop-out rate.”
Neville added that the report “highlighted an issue that the game should look after better, the ones who have not made it through not being talented enough or not being selected or through injury or however it may be that they’ve left the game. It’s a point I don’t think should be dismissed.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3nPqvKO
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