I lost a child in October 1994.... The MoD gave me 5 days off. I spent those days with my wife inconsolable walking up and down Southsea front and (when applicable) very getting very drunk together! What on earth makes you think it acceptable for a role model earning tens of thousands of pounds a week to then go 'on the charlie' breaking not only FA rules but overall breaking the law ??? His time should have been spent consoling his wife/family which I dare say is a damn site easier when you're a millionaire... Total cop out by the FA.... Maybe Adrian Mutu (ex Chelsea) had received some equally devastating news. Can of worms well and truly opened..... Define devastating news???
Bit of a difficult one this. I find myself agreeing with both sides of the argument. Maybe a token ban of 3 to 6 months from today might have been the best decision. Obviously if it is proven that he was taking it before his child died then he is of course a twat.
Let's look at it from a different angle. Alcohol is as much a drug as coke, smack, crack, hash, roids or whatever your choice is & indeed a highly addictive one. So let's hypothetically say that his tests showed that his blood/alcohol level was way over the limit. Would the anti Livermore brigade feel the same way? Tony Adams regularly turned up ****faced as he freely admits & nobody gave a ****. Is coke a performance enhancing drug? I don't know, I've never took it. Even if it is what about cortisone injections? Kills the pain therefore enhancing performance yet they are legal. Bizarre imo.
It's not a banned substance though mate, alcohol. http://list.wada-ama.org/prohibited-all-times/prohibited-substances/ I wonder if any player has ever played after a spoonful of skag.
Yes I know that mate, I was just trying to make a comparison but maybe rather badly. There used to be a young lad worked in our local bar while he was at uni training to be a physiotherapist. He got a job at a very high profile rugby league club. He swears blind that there's more rl lads on roids than isn't. In that sport if you're not on them you fall behind because you haven't got the size, bulk or strength to keep up with those that are.
It's a strange one, he has my deepest sympathy. But when my mental health spiraled I lost my career and got a criminal record. I never played the the mental health card once. I took the punishment. When the domino effect starts you can't blame the the last domino falling on the first domino that falls. Where do you draw the line? immunity from murder? Is that ok? Simple fact is if you become immune from prosecution for 'something out of your control' then there wouldn't be sentences for manslaughter. Fact is even if you didn't mean something, you still have to face the consequences. This is life. I can't know for sure but the chances of him being in a dissociative state every time he took cocaine is so unlikely. I don't doubt for a second he knew that he was taking cocaine, he decided not to give a **** because of recent events, it wasn't out of his hands. Even with mental health you can't wash your hands of all responsibility. He was weak yes but that doesn't make him above the law.
It'd be a bit **** wouldn't it if they were all skinny? I can't see it being too much longer before cannabis is used for treating sports injuries, in particular, pain management.
Seems opinion is divided mate, I don't think anybody should be running and complaining to the FA that he's not being banned, but I can't see it being long before his case is used by another player attempting to get off the hook. Lawyers don't have morals in a courtroom, that's for sure.
He should have been banned imo. Deepest sympathies to the lad for his loss. But the precedent is set and it's there to be manipulated now. He could have chosen to not take it but he chose to do it. He decided he didn't give a **** anymore and when he did that he welcomed any punishment that resulted from his actions. The FA had a difficult ruling that they needed to make but they were weak and copped out of the right decision imo.
Maybe they should set up a league for skinny rugby players so they can compete on an even keel, lol. Incidentally - depression. Can you remember that poor lad who played for Man City - Michael Johnson? That's how quickly a promising career can disappear down the ****ter. A real shame that case, the lad had talent.
I remember him mate, had a load of bad injuries didn't he? They reckon hundreds of professional footballers suffer from it mate.
I did a thread about him on here a few years ago but I can't remember what I called it. He was such a promising talent & making inroads into the England set up. Like you say, a few bad injuries & then depression setting in. He just gave up in the end. If irc, he asked to be sectioned.
Good news mate - He has got his life back on track and is an investor in a swanky restaurant somewhere in Manchester and has also opened an Estate Agents
Yeah just had a look mate, he was in the priory for a while. Must hit you hard having all your hopes and dreams taken from you at a young age, especially when you're tipped for the top.
I think it's very telling that the three posters with mental health illnesses are the people who are so against this decision. I would say four posters but Typical Juan is beyond help, there's no diagnosis for that fruitcake.
Can't argue with that pal, the doc told me to try some new meds 4 months ago, the prescription is still sat on top of my microwave at home. I feel like I will miss the old me if I fix my issues. Just making the most of being an absolute **** for now.
Aye, a sad end to such a promising career. Still if what 83 says is right, it's good to see the lad is getting his life back on track.
