The former Norwich striker was crippled by self-doubt during his career and now works to help players conquer their demons
The first thing Drewe Broughton does is reach for his mobile and scroll down a list of WhatsApp conversations to a message from one of the six young players with whom he works. His client had been asked how he was feeling two days before a televised fixture, with the response scrawled on an A4 pad, photographed and sent back to his mentor. No confidences are betrayed, the identity of the subject never revealed, but the confession offers a glimpse of the darker realities eating away at plenty at the top of the sport.
“Going to training tomorrow for an 11 versus 11 and I’m scared. Will I play Saturday? Will he play the younger lad instead? I’m left of a diamond, I don’t even want to be there … can I do it? Am I shit? I’m weak and vulnerable at the moment. Do I have the strength to get up and go again? I don’t know. The game’s live on Sky and I’m already embarrassed how I might be seen. One of the boys is absolutely flying, and that was me last year. It’s made me even more depressed. The pressure is taking over. I feel anxious all the time. I’m always thinking about the manager’s view of me. Am I shit? Can I play any more? Can I score? Can I even run around? Am I too fat, too one‑dimensional?”
Written by Dominic Fifield
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/08/drewe-broughton-footballers-fear-self-doubt-norwich under the title “Drewe Broughton: ‘I can see the fear in footballers’ eyes and relate to them’”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
