Sometimes footballers get accused of just being footballers. Sometimes fans fail to see past the big car, big house and living the dream associated with being a professional footballer in this day and age.
During his own playing career, Neil Lennon came out and spoke about depression. How hard that it is to experience the very big highs (playing in front of 60,000 fans) and the very extreme lows that a footballer experiences.
Last season, Leigh Griffiths faced his own life torments. He took time out of the game to work on himself and the whole process was very public. Some quarters had the player wrote off and said he would not return to top-flight football.
At the start of 2020, the Celtic striker was proving just how much he was back when he bagged eight goals in 13 games as he spearheaded the Celtic attack. Then came down the lockdown, now the Hoops hitman is offering sound advice to anyone who needs it.
Speaking on a new Celtic Podcast during the week the striker had this advice for fans:
“Just to speak up. That’s the most important thing. If people keep stuff bottled in a lot – and that was the case with me, I kept things bottled up – it will tip you over the edge.”
“But the more you speak out, there are loads of people who will be willing to listen and give you advice. If you can speak out, it might end up helping you, and you can start enjoying life again.”
“It’s obviously not an easy time for players, fans, everybody connected with the club but the main thing is we stay safe, we are all healthy and we make sure we are raring to go when we all come back,”
A big part of recovery and healing is giving back, it is also a good indicator as to were Leigh is at and how like the rest of us he is coping with the lockdown.
Leigh has come through hell and deserves much credit.
YNWA