Jacko
Well then he's still doing the job for the country.
As long it is not any of our young Kiwi boys in the hospital. . . .
This.
Jacko was class. Not the most skillful player out but always gave his all and wore his heart on his sleeve. Great servant for the Kingz and All Whites.
Good on Chris Jackson for speaking to FIFPro, the World Players Union about his struggles with mental illness over the years. One of only two former pros prepared to talk about their experiences (the other a former MLS and US international goalie).
Chris abused alcohol and drugs and suffered from depression:
"Before international games I would be taking drugs and partying with friends. Then days later I was trying to mark Lothar Matthäus or Ronaldinho!"
He also shares the common experience of being left high and dry with no support on retiring.
Chris shares his experiences as part of a global survey of former professionals and their mental health during their career and after retiring.
Pro footballers and especially former pros have a much higher incidence of mental illness than the general population. Largely depression and stress due to receiving no support on retiring and having nothing to do.
Accentuates how players need more help from clubs and national bodies both while playing to develop skills outside football and plan for reitrement and also help on retiring to find new work.
Chris Jackson's candid interview:
http://www.fifpro.org/en/news/chris-jackson-what-is-the-purpose-of-living
Accompanying US player Jonny Walker's interview:
http://www.fifpro.org/en/news/jonny-walker-depression-is-a-horrible-feeling
FIFPro's mental health survey results:
http://www.fifpro.org/en/news/depression-highly-prevalent-in-footballers
http://www.fifpro.org/en/news/study-mental-illness-in-professional-football
Chris is till playing at age 43 for Cringila Lions in the Illawarra Premier League, NSW. Article about him signing:
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/1680310/veteran-chris-jackson-gets-hunger-back/
Ledge.
Great article that. I remember wondering why he wasn't in the '04 Nations Cup side. We could have done with him too as history has shown.
Jacko on National Radio right now talking about his career and struggle with alcohol, drugs and depression..
Jacko was certainly a fav of mine playing for the Kingz
Jacko on National Radio right now talking about his career and struggle with alcohol, drugs and depression..
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20140428
Chris Jackson: Former All White on his battles with depression ( 26′ 16″ )
09:25 Chris Jackson, former All White captain who has been part of a global survey of professional footballers, done by FifPro, the world players' union. The survery has revealed high rates of anxiety and depression among current and retired players.
09:52 With Dr. Mark Fulcher, New Zealand Football's Medical Director, and All Whites team doctor.
It's good that National Radio took Chris' revelations and the International Players' Union study seriously without sensationalizing things as other media outlets may have done. After all, one aspect was the guy was confessing to taking drugs before All Whites matches.
I think it bodes well also that NZ Football didn't brush off National Radio's approach for a response but got All Whites doctor Mark Fulcher to front up - after all he's the person in the organization best qualified to talk about players' mental health issues and substance abuse.
The amateurism (in the sense of incompetence) of NZ football management in the 80's, 90's and early 2000's (even while embarking on professionalism with the Football Kingz) is brought home by Jackson's experiences such as lack of career guidance as a teenage player (received no advice after returning from an unsuccessful trial in England), being brushed off with just something like "that's tough" from the assistant coach at the Football Kingz and still being expected to play after telling management his dad had just died, being told by the Kingz not to take other employment for 18 months while the league was re-launched because they would want to re-sign him and then being told by the new manager when the Kingz folded and the Knights took over thathe wasn't wanted (and being paid the minimum wage anyway), and having his international career terminated by a couple of sentences in an email with no further communication.
I thought current All Whites doctor Fulcher handled the response well - no defensiveness which is what you usually get when organizations are criticized, took all the criticisms on board and I thought he displayed genuine empathy and seemed a decent bloke and competent professional.
Seems there has been some improvement in handling players' welfare from the national body (Fulcher said it was his impression things had improved since 15 years ago) and in communication with players. For example, Fulcher undertakes an annual screening of All Whites (age group players are also screened from u-17 level) for mental health, alcohol and drug problems. Listening to what Chris Jackson had to say about his problems starting age 15, Fulcher responded they may have to look at screening from schoolboy level. (Screening consists of players being questioned about any problems and remedial action being suggested).
Fulcher is also sensitive to the difficulties he's become aware of for many of our overseas players playing for smaller clubs on low wages in countries where they don't speak the language and the standard of care isn't so good compared to say big EPL clubs.
All adds to the over-all impression I already had that Mark Fulcher is a competent guy NZ Football should hang on to.
I like it that although he said as team doctor, he's not qualified to talk of management issues, even then he said he thought it "wasn't very good at all" the way Chris Jackson was told via a terse email he was no longer required by the All Whites.
There was some discussion of a comparison with NZ Rugby which has the advantage of contracting the All Blacks and thus being able to provide all their medical and psychological supervision. NZ Football of course doesn't contract any international players and so Dr Fulcher only has direct involvement when they are in camp a few times a year. Day-to-day care is left to clubs - with varied results (implied this - especially on the psychological side).
Dr Fulcher backs the idea put to him of a survey by NZ Football of retired players.
Strikes me that former All White and Oxford United pro Dr Ceri Evans, one of NZ's top psychiatrists (formerly on Oxford University staff) and currently Clinical Director Forensic Psychiatry Canterbury District Health Board would be a useful man to have around...
Just want to say a big F U to leggy and JVs very dismissive "own your choices" attitude toward mental illness and addiction in the locked thread.
While I kind of agree in principle, it's not always as simple as that, trust me. And having dismissive attitudes like that is a shitty way to act toward someone suffering an illness, and can be quite harmful.
Just felt the need to say something because I personally found it offensive.
Hey pal. Pull your head in.
1: I was not criticising his mental illness at all so stick that up your tailpipe right now. If you can find where I was talking about his mental illness then fine, but I got a fresh $50 that says you can't so retract and FU yourself.
2: Yeah drugs and alcohol are a choice. Remember I am a recovering alcoholic so I know EXACTLY what that's about so yeah, its all about choices and I am well qualified to talk about that. I blame no one but myself for my own choices I made and I cannot sympathise with others that do not own their shit.
In summary, grow up.
I'll also add to that, Leggy never mentioned his mental illness either.
There is a lot I could and want to say to that.
But I'll just stick to: being a recovering alcoholic still doesn't give you the right to be so dismissive of others problems. People's circumstances are different. I'm sure some People reading this forum also have circumstances of their own, you're not the only one who had or has issues. Saying why you guys did was offensive and unhelpful imo.
Also it sounds like he is 'owning his shit' anyway, he has even bravely come out into the media to talk about it. If that isn't considered 'owning your shit' then I don't know what is.
I think you had a howler earlier Tegal and should apologise IMO
I can be dismissive of others problems if I like whether I am a recovering alcoholic or not and you have that very same right too as does everyone. They are their issues to own, not mine just like I don't make my issue anyone else's problem. I am in control of my own choices and respond to each and every factor in a manner I choose. I can choose to tell you to FU or I can choose to smile and ignore. The end of the day its about choices and those choices are made by me which I am in control of, I am responsible for, and I own. I can choose to wake up tomorrow and get drunk. That's my choice. I can choose to say no. That too is my choice but I am responsible for each and every decision I make in respect of that - no one else.
I was not addressing others in this forum or the pressures they face nor was I assuming for one second I was alone in it. They also own their business and deal with it too hence why you largely do not hear about their issues. You are making far too many assumptions but then you are well past that stage.
As for owning their own shit in the last comment, that was a comment in general and not directed at Jackson.
In the end Leggy said: "As sad as it might be, people make their own decision in life. If Jackson was into drugs and booze then that was his choice. Most people have to cope without these two products and I don't have a lot of sympathy." and I responded with "I have to agree with you Leggy. Own your choices." You have taken this and blown it way out of proportion so I stand by my original position of pull your head in.
Since this is a sensitive topic for many people, I'm going to request that you guys both respectfully leave this discussion here, rather than let it descend into the shitstorm that some discussions on here descend into. I'm not citing any forum rules here, since you aren't violating any, but it would be appreciated if you stopped this discussion here before something is said that (unintentionally) hurts or upsets another forum member.
Fair enough, when I originally posted I did wonder if I had gone OTT.
I still found it quite offensive, but I am sorry. There was a bit of miscommunication in there too, so I appreciate what you are saying (basically disregard my 2nd post and the whole F U thing).
I don't see how choosing to drink and becoming an alcoholic is the same as suffering from depression and turning to alcohol in an effort to self medicate.
I feel bad that after all this he's a cleaner at a university. What a fall from grace. Sucks it took him so long to figure a lot of this out.
I don't see how choosing to drink and becoming an alcoholic is the same as suffering from depression and turning to alcohol in an effort to self medicate.
I feel bad that after all this he's a cleaner at a university. What a fall from grace. Sucks it took him so long to figure a lot of this out.
He has wound up at 43 with literally nothing and I must admit that surprises me. I recall an article in the Herald I think it was 10 years ago when he switched to Waitakere and he was the same then, living week to week, odd job to odd job just so he could play football. He never struck me as a thick bastard, so did he think about going to Uni? I am just surprised that he is still in the same place he was 10 years ago and wonder if he ever looked back then and thought 'If I don't do something now, I will be stuffed in my 40s'
My observation and personal experience of life is that all the opinions expressed above have some validity.
Sometimes two points of view aren't mutually exclusive.
I have a friend who is a recovering alcoholic and a family member who certainly had (has) a drinking problem.
My friend, now middle-aged, is a decent bloke and now a high-achieving professional who had an addiction to alcohol. When young, somehow he drank regularly to excess. He was addicted and predisposed to this. It was only after losing his job, his wife, his family and health that he owned the problem and joined AA. He's been on the wagon for twenty years now.
In my opinion he was predisposed to alcohol addiction and once he started it was very hard to stop.
But it was his own effort in the end and good support from AA and friends that saw him through. He chooses not to drink but also I know he relies on strong support from AA and his church (he's not a religious fanatic but has developed a quiet faith which seems to work for him).
My family member has not owned the problem and remains in denial to a great extent. This lead to a lot of distress for our family in the past and intermittently even now. There is little insight and owning of the problem.
The thing with celebrities and people in the media like Chris Jackson, is we don't really know them and the reality of their lives just based on interviews and news reports.
So Chris has had his struggles and I wish him well.
One thing though, it seems Chris was always set on being a full-time player and this became possible in NZ from 1999 with the advent of the Football Kingz. However, from what Chris has said and from what we know of the Kingz and the Knights, things often weren't run very professionally. It must have been tough at times being a pro footballer in NZ in those pioneering days with incompetent management of clubs.
I think of Paul Gascoigne who has had a battle with alcoholism and mental health issues - but it must be easier in his situation in some ways compared to Jackson, having earned millions of dollars from the game and as a former high-profile player, still having the potential to earn a lot from media work, selling your story, appearances etc.
Gascoigne had a well-publicized relapse last year but has been in rehab and apparently is in good health again. Seems he's made an effort to sort himself out. He was on "Alan Carr: Chatty Man" on TV One a month ago and was pretty open about his problems. Alan Carr, unlikely as it may seem, is the son of Newcastle United's Chief Scout who is a former pro footballer. His episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?" is a fascinating one - comes from a long line of hardened northern footballers.
I don't see how choosing to drink and becoming an alcoholic is the same as suffering from depression and turning to alcohol in an effort to self medicate.
I feel bad that after all this he's a cleaner at a university. What a fall from grace. Sucks it took him so long to figure a lot of this out.
He has wound up at 43 with literally nothing and I must admit that surprises me. I recall an article in the Herald I think it was 10 years ago when he switched to Waitakere and he was the same then, living week to week, odd job to odd job just so he could play football. He never struck me as a thick bastard, so did he think about going to Uni? I am just surprised that he is still in the same place he was 10 years ago and wonder if he ever looked back then and thought 'If I don't do something now, I will be stuffed in my 40s'
