Doncaster Rovers legend James Coppinger says every club should have mental health mentor

In that one telling sentence, Doncaster Rovers midfielder James Coppinger perhaps encapsulates the influence of Covid-19 upon the daily lives of millions of people – those fortunate enough not to have been afflicted by the deadly virus – better than most.

Like many other industries, football and those employed in it – especially individuals at clubs further down the pyramid – are suffering.

Back in the Spring, Fifpro’s study of 1,602 professional players, conducted between March 22 and April 14, discovered that 22 per cent of 468 female players and 13 per cent of 1,134 male players reported symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of depression during football’s shutdown due to coronavirus.

It also found that 18 per cent of the women and 16 per cent of men reported markers of generalised anxiety.

Those sort of statistics heightened the need for clubs to provide coping mechanisms to help people handle difficult times in the work-place and Coppinger has been enthused by what he has heard about in that regard at his own club and beyond.

Throughout his long and distinguished career, Rovers’ record appearance-maker has always been an advocate of the importance of mental health and well-being among footballers.

He speaks from experience, having suffered with gambling and alcohol issues during his time as a young professional with Exeter City before joining Rovers in May, 2004.

Coppinger’s life changed for the better when he linked up with mentor and motivational speaker Terry Gormley, who worked with Rovers in the Dave Penney era.

In today’s uncertain environment for footballers, the importance of mentoring is something that takes on added significance.

Coppinger told The Yorkshire Post: “Clubs have done really well, working with the PFA and FA and everyone connected with mental health. I feel like it will go from strength to strength.

“It is about putting things in place, so people understand how to cope and deal with certain issues. You become more resilient and I think it is massive in football and will be huge.

“Personally, it should be something that is a given and a must and every club should have a person within a football club who people can turn to and report to so they can try and understand and cope with things. I think that will eventually be the case, hopefully.”

It is a role that the 39-year-old has, unofficially, been performing in his own way at Rovers, having provided guidance to young professionals in the past.

He is also full of praise for the way in which the club have dealt with its employees during the game’s current shutdown – with players and many staff placed on furlough leave in early April.

Coppinger added: “I speak to the same ones quite a lot and a couple of the young lads have contacted me – knowing what they know about the way I do things.

“It’s not for everybody and not everybody wants that involvement. It is what it is and the ones that want it will come and find out a little bit more and the ones that don’t will get on with it.

“A lot of our players have strong support networks, good families and good people around them. They tend to use that.

“The club have been brilliant with the way they have communicated with everybody in these times; the players and staff.

“For everybody, it is the unknown and nobody knows what to do for the best.

“It is about being transparent, understanding and up front. That is the biggest thing as we are learning as much as they (the club) are.

“They have handled it really well and I am sure if you speak to any of the players, they will say exactly the same.”

For Coppinger, perspective has also been easy to find during these unprecedented times.

Supporting his wife, a paediatric nurse and his family – he has three children aged 13, 11 and six – has been occupying his attentions and he is remaining positive about his own situation amid the lower-league shutdown due to the pandemic.

On coping in the Covid-19 world, Coppinger, out of contract at Rovers at the end of the 2019-20 season but hopeful of continuing his playing career, said: “It hasn’t really entered my head and knocked me down one bit. I am very positive about everything.

“It is all done to the way I think on a daily basis. I cannot focus on what goes on around me, I have to focus on what I can affect.

“I try and affect the controllables and keep a positive state of mind.

“If you start to worry and think about all the things you cannot control, that is when you tend to get down and let things get on top of you.

“There is no need to waste energy and time doing that when you can focus on other areas.

“The things I have done in the past and all the experiences I have been through have stood me in good stead.”

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