When news of Aaron Lennon’s getting detained under the Mental Health Act by police over concerns for his welfare broke out, the footballing world largely expressed sympathy and concern. He is currently receiving treatment for the stress-related illness with the support of his family, friends and club.
Following this news, the PFA revealed that a growing number of footballers are using a dedicated service it provides, to help its members’ mental health. Clubs are also known to hire psychiatrists to also help the players deal with pressure and stress.
Michael Bennett, the PFA’s head of welfare, said, “”We put a player welfare department in place in 2012 because I felt a lot of onus was being placed on the physical aspect of players playing football and not enough on their emotional side, and I think the two go hand-in-hand.