Former Aston Villa hero Lee Hendrie: Increase mental health help
Former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie claims the football authorities must do more to protect the mental health of players.
Hendrie has recently opened up about his own struggles, revealing he attempted suicide on several occasions at his lowest point.
Though he hit rock bottom when his £10million property portfolio collapsed in 2010, Hendrie now believes he was affected by mental health issues during a career which saw him make more than 300 appearances for Villa. The 43-year-old would like to see the PFA set-up an initiative which would allow ex-professionals to visit clubs and help current players.
He said: “I can’t speak enough about this. It is something which has got to change in sport, particularly in football. It has to stem from every club. You can go through a club and look at the staff they have, they have someone for almost every single thing you can think about. But have they got something in place for players to speak about mental health? I don’t think they have.
“I do think it has to happen. The PFA have to look further into getting into clubs. I think they need to do more to get people who have played the game, who have played at the top level, who can put the story across.
“There are lots of players who have gone through situations and have found themselves in a deep, dark place. They can go and speak to players and give them a bit of guidance.”
Meanwhile, it was revealed Villa will kick-off the Premier League return to action with their home clash with Sheffield United taking place at 6pm on Wednesday, June 17. The game will be live on Sky.
They will then host Chelsea on Sunday June 21, at 4.30pm, on Sky before travelling to Newcastle on Wednesday, June 24, for a 6pm kick-off, on Sky. They will host Wolves at 12pm on Sunday, June 28, at noon, on BT Sport.
