Sam Allardyce has bravely opened up on his mental health – and admits he’s sought support since being out of work:
🗣️ “When you finish, it’s not just about how much money you make. All of a sudden you cannot play anymore. It’s the same with management, but only it’s with a greater responsibility.
“You’re responsible for everything contained at the club on the football side. The joy of being able to integrate into that, learn from that and build from that is an addiction. There’s no doubt that when you lose that, it’s a massive comedown.
“We have to deal with a lot of mental and well-being problems because of the fact we’re no longer employed in the game that we’ve loved all our lives, whether it’s coaching or management. There’s a big adjustment you need to make, and there are lots of tools you need to go through to adjust.
“For me personally, I haven’t needed that support until in my 70s. But it’s still bad. I watch the Premier League and think, ‘I should be there.’ Yet that only happens if somebody rings you up and they want you.
But in terms of coming to terms with it, I’ve done that. I’m enjoying life, watching football and travelling the world. And doing my podcast is something that has brought real peace for me.”