Steven Caulker and mental illness

[MetzRed]

Very moving interview with Steven Caulker in the Guardian today. He's been struggling with mental illness, alcoholism and gambling.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/29/steven-caulker-mental-illness-addictions-gambling-drinking-qpr

It's also troubling to read as a City fan:

“The sleepless nights, sat up till 5am replaying every bad decision I’ve ever made in my life, worrying what will be next … Tottenham sent me to Bristol City on loan at 18 and they put me in a flat in the city centre surrounded by nightclubs, two casinos opposite, the kind of money I’d never seen in my life, and no guidance whatsoever. I was pulled once by a member of staff and told I’d been spotted in the casino at 3am but their attitude was: ‘What you do in your spare time is your business. Just don’t let it affect your performances out on the pitch.’"

Like many fans I thought Caulker was one of the best players to pass through BS3 over the past few years and I thought the sky was the limit. He was certainly better than his fellow Tottenham loanee, Danny Rose, who to my continued bafflement is a regular England international these days. I'd be devastated to think that we had let him down and I sincerely hope that we are more conscientious about this sort of thing now, although Tammy's car accident says maybe we haven't...

All the best to Steven in the future. Hopefully he can rediscover his form and crack the England team again someday

[SecretSam]

It's a heartbreaking read, and as a club we should take more responsibility for supporting our players, even the loanees.  

He was an absolute star that season on loan, and it's sad to see how things have gone for him.  

Good luck to the lad - he's taken the first, and hardest step - admitting he has a problem, and doing something about it.

[And Its Smith]

There's been stories of his alcoholism quietly doing the rounds for 6 months now so not surprised to see this article at all.  Very sad for anyone to be suffering with what Caulker has and hope he can get the help he needs to kick it.

When any player goes on loan, both the parent club and loanee club must work closely together and I'd say both clubs have probably contributed in a small way to this.  Although I would also point out that if we had put him 3 miles away from nightclubs and casinos there is every chance he would have found them anyway.  

[Eddie Hitler]

That is poor. I had assumed that players had some kind of support or assistance and, especially the U21s, there was someone with a degree of responsibility for their welfare.

At college you have such people to recognise that not all u21s cope particularly well away from home for the first time.

I don't think the level of wages cones into it other than adding to the temptations around them.

[Monkeh]

theres more support now then when Caulker was here, one of many fronts we've improved on,

I feel bad for him but you have to question why you (I mean spurs) are paying a 18 year old 20 - 40 grand a week, what do expect is going to happen with alot of them?,

 

I hope he's recovered and Its not a snipe aimed at him but more at the game in general where money has become so obscene 

[Septic Peg]

8 minutes ago, RedDave said:

There's been stories of his alcoholism quietly doing the rounds for 6 months now so not surprised to see this article at all.  Very sad for anyone to be suffering with what Caulker has and hope he can get the help he needs to kick it.

When any player goes on loan, both the parent club and loanee club must work closely together and I'd say both clubs have probably contributed in a small way to this.  Although I would also point out that if we had put him 3 miles away from nightclubs and casinos there is every chance he would have found them anyway.  

Exactly this. Whilst we are responsible for their emotional wellbeing, we didn't physically march him into said casino, force a magnum of champers on him and encourage him to play roulette all night... Only he made that choice. All any club can do is to support them when they realise it's a problem.

[Northern Red]

Certainly now the bigger clubs have people who have the specific task of looking after their young lads out on loan.

[CyderInACan]

Pastoral care of all players is at least equally as important as "match fitness" 

Hopefully we've learnt lessons but I fear this may not be the case. Let's hope that we don't just look for the right "DNA" in players, but we actually have it ourselves as a club, an employer and as a valued member of a great local community. 

[Monkeh]

1 minute ago, CyderInACan said:

Pastoral care of all players is at least equally as important as "match fitness" 

Hopefully we've learnt lessons but I fear this may not be the case. Let's hope that we don't just look for the right "DNA" in players, but we actually have it ourselves as a club, an employer and as a valued member of a great local community. 

we have learnt lessons you can see that with the way we handled Tammy,

[!james]

I hope the club read this and if things haven't already changed then plans are put in place. We have a duty of care to the players 

[View from the Dolman]

18 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Certainly now the bigger clubs have people who have the specific task of looking after their young lads out on loan.

I believe Brian Tinnion does this role for us as 'player loan manager'.

[TMWANG50]

Lets take him back, we owe him that!

[Merrick's Marvels]

20 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

Pastoral care of all players is at least equally as important as "match fitness" 

Hopefully we've learnt lessons but I fear this may not be the case. Let's hope that we don't just look for the right "DNA" in players, but we actually have it ourselves as a club, an employer and as a valued member of a great local community. 

Kodjia turned up for the first game of the season without anyone telling him where the dressing rooms were.....

Abraham was able to to drive around uninsured.....

Like you, I'm not so sure City or the industry as a whole takes the pastoral care of players seriously.  

But most importantly - my best wishes go to Steven Caulker.

[SecretSam]

2 minutes ago, !james said:

I hope the club read this and if things haven't already changed then plans are put in place. We have a duty of care to the players 

Absolutely right, like any employer.  Too much focus in football - and society - on physical health; mental health doesn't get a look-in.  It's a massive issue; look at Nicky Hunt - tell me there wasn't something going on there.  And for most people, mental health  conditions are treatable and manageable if identified early. 

['Orns]

What a shame

Had a wonderful impact for us, was excited to see how his career went. I'm not surprised, the signs were there that things were not ok with SC. Glad he's got it out there, and hope he finds the help he needs to get himself sorted

[And Its Smith]

Just now, SecretSam said:

Absolutely right, like any employer.  Too much focus in football - and society - on physical health; mental health doesn't get a look-in.  It's a massive issue; look at Nicky Hunt - tell me there wasn't something going on there.  And for most people, mental health  conditions are treatable and manageable if identified early. 

Are fans partly to blame as well?  Nicky Hunt used to get dogs abuse (from me as much as anyone to be honest) which is surely regrettable.  If he was suffering then as a fanbase we hindered him big time I expect. 

[ollywhyte]

Would anyone take him back or is it too much of a risk?

If Flint departs a fresh minded Caulker could be brilliant for us. Had a cracking spell with us and Lee Johnson played in the same team as him, so will be aware of the situation!

 

[Major Isewater]

21 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

theres more support now then when Caulker was here, one of many fronts we've improved on,

I feel bad for him but you have to question why you (I mean spurs) are paying a 18 year old 20 - 40 grand a week, what do expect is going to happen with alot of them?,

 

I hope he's recovered and Its not a snipe aimed at him but more at the game in general where money has become so obscene 

Young sportsmen should have their money paid into accounts where they can only touch the money at a certain age or if they retire from their sports.

Give them à reasonable livable allowance but put the rest in the trust .

This way they'd hopefully learn the value of money and have something for when they start the second part of their lives as ' normal ' people.

 I know it's probably unworkable but would like to at least see some help for them in managing their financial affairs .

 

[And Its Smith]

Just now, ollywhyte said:

Would anyone take him back or is it too much of a risk?

If Flint departs a fresh minded Caulker could be brilliant for us. Had a cracking spell with us and Lee Johnson played in the same team as him, so will be aware of the situation!

 

I would say it was absolutely worth the risk but it would need to be some sort of heavily incentivised deal i.e. £10k per week, £5k appearance fee, £5k clean sheet bonus etc.

Chances are someone else will take a punt and pay him £30k  per week straight off.  

[And Its Smith]

Ian Holloway comes out of that article extremely well.  His agent certainly doesn't and good to hear he has a new agent now.  

[ollywhyte]

Just now, RedDave said:

I would say it was absolutely worth the risk but it would need to be some sort of heavily incentivised deal i.e. £10k per week, £5k appearance fee, £5k clean sheet bonus etc.

Chances are someone else will take a punt and pay him £30k  per week straight off.  

Someone like Eddie Howe from the outside looking in would be ideal for him, we shall see

[Monkeh]

6 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Kodjia turned up for the first game of the season without anyone telling him where the dressing rooms were.....

Abraham was able to to drive around uninsured.....

Like you, I'm not so sure City or the industry as a whole takes the pastoral care of players seriously.  

But most importantly - my best wishes go to Steven Caulker.

The dressing rooms were still in the same place as the previous season with regards to Kodja, they weren't ready,

as with tammy thats more down to him its the way we dealt with it in the aftermath,

You can't hold their hand all the time, my company doesn't with me you can't expect the club to do the same, 

[MarkRed!]

Lets face it Caulker's comments (if true) only serve to reveal that the Club is not authoritarian and in the past that has led to "drink cultures in the club", players misbehaving and spending time in the nick and all kinds of things. I hope things have moved on since Caulker's time.

Pastoral support for the players is essential and really an 18 year old should not have been left to his own devices. Did Robinson from Villa not get discarded for taking that "hippy crack" with Grealish.... That said, Abraham was caught driving without insurance....

Thus, perhaps there is still some work to do. I feel the club should come out and say something as Caulker is implying that we started him off on the slippery slope to gambling and drink addiction and showed a lassez faire attitude to this. I am confident that cannot be the case....

[petehinton]

Really sobering article. What's even more saddening, is that he's not even aware of just how good he was for us. To think of the constant 8/10 performances (and higher) he put in for us, but then sat up all night beating himself up and thinking he isn't good enough, is horrible.

Look forward to welcoming a healthy and happy Steve Caulker back to Ashton Gate this season.

[!james]

Keith Gillespie's book - How not to be a football millionaire gives an eye opening accounting of having too much too young and suffering with addiction. 

[And Its Smith]

Just now, MarkRed! said:

Lets face it Caulker's comments (if true) only serve to reveal that the Club is not authoritarian and in the past that has led to "drink cultures in the club", players misbehaving and spending time in the nick and all kinds of things. I hope things have moved on since Caulker's time.

Pastoral support for the players is essential and really an 18 year old should not have been left to his own devices. Did Robinson from Villa not get discarded for taking that "hippy crack" with Grealish.... That said, Abraham was caught driving without insurance....

Thus, perhaps there is still some work to do. I feel the club should come out and say something as Caulker is implying that we started him off on the slippery slope to gambling and drink addiction and showed a lassez faire attitude to this. I am confident that cannot be the case....

Would be madness for the club to comment on this from a PR point of view.  

[MarkRed!]

3 minutes ago, RedDave said:

Would be madness for the club to comment on this from a PR point of view.  

Maybe your right but it could also be perceived as quite negative if they dont. Why would prospective parents want to send their children to our Academy if we cannot look after them and give them appropriate guidance.  They should at least look at what internal supports will be put in place for our young players generally. I would hope they do this anyway.

[Selred]

I believe Tammy turned down Newcastle because he couldn't trust himself with the nightlife. Becoming all so important in this day and age.

 

It's the duty of the club and especially of the agents who chase the payday but don't think about their clients wellbeing.

[BRISTOL86]

I wish Steven the very best in battling his demons. A fantastic player for us and sad to hear of his struggles.

Taking the wider view about 'clubs not doing enough' to protect their young millionaires to be....at what point do players have to take responsibility for their own actions though? 

Not being funny but you shouldn't need to have a constant arm around a grown adult to make sure they're not up to no good and are making sensible choices. What happened to personal responsibility? We're not talking about school kids here.

You shouldn't need someone to tell you that you need a driving licence and insurance to drive. Or that it's not OK to be out drinking before work etc.  

I started work at 16 straight from school and there was no constant arm around me making sure everything was hunky dory. You learn by doing and from your mistakes and you learn to take personal responsibility for your actions. 

None of the above aimed at Caulker but more an observation on the modern trend of every action an individual takes seemingly being traced back to being someone else's fault. 

When I was a kid I'd be given £10 on a Saturday which was an enormous sum of money to me at the time. If I spent it all on panini stickers and mix-ups before the day was out I soon learned that I had nothing left for the rest of the week!

[SecretSam]

24 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

Young sportsmen should have their money paid into accounts where they can only touch the money at a certain age or if they retire from their sports.

Give them à reasonable livable allowance but put the rest in the trust .

This way they'd hopefully learn the value of money and have something for when they start the second part of their lives as ' normal ' people.

 I know it's probably unworkable but would like to at least see some help for them in managing their financial affairs .

 

It's not just about money.  The lad has clear issues with depression, self-esteem, etc.  Alcoholism, gambling - all stem from the illness, not the lifestyle.  If he didn't have the money, he'd have found some other way to numb himself.

Depression doesn't care how successful, rich or otherwise you are.  It doesn't see class or riches; look at Robert Enke or Gary Speed - committed suicide despite being at the top.