Features

Subterms

    More stories

    • 263 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      How 3 MILLION dogs are being slaughtered ahead of World Cup with executions & poisoned food… but Fifa is doing nothing

      by

      AGAINST a backdrop of pained barking, an emaciated pooch hobbles over to a dirt-covered animal pile, which it licks, bites and then tugs at — eager to pry off any flesh to stave off starvation.It’s a haunting moment now regularly seen in Morocco, stray dogs are resorting to cannibalism to survive after a terrifying “street cleanse”, while others are killed in ghoulish ways and left to rot. Animal rights campaigners claim stray dogs are being rounded up and then killedCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)One dog has resorted to cannibalism, as seen in footage supplied to The SunCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)They claim dogs have been shot, beaten with weapons, poisoned and stabbedCredit: ‘International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)A design of Morocco’s upcoming 2030 FIFA World Cup venue set to be built in CasablancaCredit: Courtesy Populous/Oualolou + ChoiThe north-west African nation is allegedly in the midst of a mass butchering spree to eradicate three million homeless dogs in time for the 2030 FIFA World Cup – despite vowing they’d ended the killings.Horrifying videos released by animal rights campaigners expose the horrors being unleashed on the streets of Morocco on the canines.Heartbreaking footage shows dogs being stabbed with poisonous sticks, violently impaled with hooks, left to bleed out from gunshot wounds and abandoned in pounds without food or water. It flies in the face of FIFA’s Bid Evaluation Report, which claimed Morocco had “outlined its commitment to the protection of animal rights” and since August had ruled “the culling of animals is prohibited in the country”.READ MORE FROM FEATURESHere The Sun refutes that with a damning dossier of evidence obtained on the ground through the International Animal Welfare Protect Coalition (IAWPC), which was also presented to FIFA.They say Morocco has violated their vow and lied to the footballing body. And that means their implementation as a host nation – alongside Spain and Portugal – is a “sham” and they must be stripped of their duties, campaigners say. The campaign calling for action from FIFA has been backed by celebrities including Downton Abbey star Peter Egan, music legend Gary Numan, conservationist Chris Packham and world-renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall.Most read in FootballChariots of Fire actor Peter tells The Sun: “Football is regarded as the ‘beautiful game’ and for it to be celebrated in such ugly circumstances is a betrayal of all ethics. FIFA must act now.“I’m absolutely appalled by the situation and the football-loving public will be too, the majority of people who love the beautiful game cannot endorse such cruelty by knowing about it, ignoring it and supporting the World Cup. “It’s almost impossible to get one’s head around why any country would choose to brutally slaughter millions of animals just to ‘tidy their streets’ for a football match. It’s inconceivable.“They choose the cheapest way of destroying these poor creatures too, often this is starving them to death or bludgeoning them with a weapon. It’s absolutely shocking.”Dog that mauled man to death ‘attacked schoolboy days earlier’ in East LondonOne stray dog being shot on the streets in MoroccoCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)One stray was dragged along the ground for a lengthy amount of time to cause injuryCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)’Absolute evil’The new footage, shot in the coastal city of Kenitra, shows animals waiting in dark and damp spaces to starve to death and canine cannibalism.Les Ward, President of the IAWPC, tells The Sun “absolute evil is going on in Morocco” and that cruel dog catchers are being dispatched to the streets to round up strays for slaughter. He explains: “The Moroccan Government hasn’t even got a clue what animal rights means. “They are setting up ‘dispensaries’ and ‘clinics’, which are killing stations to eradicate dogs, not help them.“At these killing pounds the dogs are thrown into a mass of frightened animals. They don’t feed them, they don’t give them water. If they do feed them it’s with poisoned bait that kills them.“Cannibalism is occurring. These dogs are being starved to death and as a result, start to eat one another. “Others are being killed, shot and poisoned and then thrown in the bin.”They don’t die immediately, they thrash around, crying as blood pours out of themLes Ward, IAWPC PresidentAnother heartbreaking clip shows several emaciated pooches cower in their alleyway-like prison, some lifelessly looking up at the camera, while others could be seen with wounds. A few had given birth.An IAWPC campaigner, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid persecution, told us: “The dogs are starving and dying. “It is a tiny space with up to 400 dogs cramped into it and they are living in their own waste. “Some of them die from sickness or poisoning, the others eat them because they are starving… the dogs are kept next to a slaughterhouse which uses them as food. “It is inhumane and unbearable.”World Cup ‘horror’Moroccan authorities are estimated to be killing 300,000 homeless dogs each year, despite it being ruled illegal since 2019.Supporters claim it will end rabies, which kills roughly 80 people a year, but campaigners argue culling won’t work.Instead, they insist their Trap Neuter Release (TNR) programme, currently being implemented by volunteers, is the only way to succeed. Previously it helped Goa, in India, become a rabies-free state.A poison-tipped stick that’s used to kill strays in MoroccoCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)A dead dog moments before it was feasted on by a starving strayCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Animals filled a narrow alleyway in a ‘kill shelter’ in Kenitra, MoroccoCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Les tells us: “Morocco’s approach will exacerbate the problem because rabies-infected dogs will continue to breed and more will move into the area. Killing is not the solution, it’s a horror.”Campaigners claim the culling has been ramping up since the 2023 Club World Cup, which was a ‘trial event’ from FIFA officials after Morocco lost an unprecedented five main tournament bids.Some oppose the slaughter – in 2022, a judge fined the Governor of the Nador Province 6,000MAD (£490) after discovering they had killed strays.The judge labelled it “uncivilised” and stated the brutality “which dates back to ancient times, are no longer acceptable”.In 2023, hundreds of strays and tagged dogs were killed in Tangier, which the founder of SFT Animal Sanctuary insisted was “because of FIFA’s visit” for the Club World Cup.She claimed the orders came “from the governor” and that all tagged dogs had to be “removed… from the posh areas around the stadium where FIFA will be”.’Inhumane killings’Now a World Cup host for 2030, campaigners allege the butchery is increasing and often the barbaric street killings are taking place in front of children. IAWPC footage shows men of the attacks by men in orange suits, including one who stuck his fingers up at the camera.Using “tong-like” implements, which have a painful debilitating effect, they pick up dogs the size of German Shepherds and throw them into vans pile with other dogs. One ‘dog catcher’ flips up his fingers at a cameraCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)They then use giant tongs to pick up a German Shephard and chuck it into a vanCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Dead dogs being taken to the tip to be disposed of alongside rubbishCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)They are then taken to ‘holding’ centres where they are starved to death or “inhumanely killed”, we are told.One day is seen with blood trickling down from the midriff due to being cruelly dragged along the streets and beaten.Les says: “Some of the dogs are left to decompose on the street. Young children are seeing this. That’s traumatic for them and there are links between regularly seeing traumatising things and becoming violent in adult life.” Some dogs are killed with a stick that holds a syringe containing poison at the end, others are fed deadly bait by hand – both practices cause “considerable pain, suffering and lingering death”.Les explains: “Any vet will tell you killing a dog by strychnine is a cruel and lengthy process. They lure the dogs close by getting unsuspecting members of the public to tell them the dogs’ names.”Gun squads allegedly “shoot dogs around the clock with rifles and pistols” but cruelly they are “rarely killed outright” and left to bleed to death on the streets.he was banging on the door so hard and she was left standing in the street screaming as he was driven away. Louise Smith, victim of dog catchersLes adds: “These aren’t bullets that pass through they lodge in the body of dogs, meaning they don’t die immediately, they thrash around, crying as blood pours out of them.“I recently saw a harrowing photo of a dog seconds after its face was obliterated with a shotgun. It’s all extremely cruel.” Dog catchers Many of the animals are being rounded up by groups of dog catchers – and some seized them because they “know owners will bribe them to get their pets back”. Among them is Scottish mum Louise Smith, 46, who has paid to retrieve her six-year-old daughter Salma’s dogs “multiple times” but more recently she notes they are “all about killing.”“I tried to bargain with the dog catchers,” she says. “Salma was beside herself, she cut her knuckles. She was banging on the door so hard and she was left standing in the street screaming as he was driven away.”Dog catchers collect the animals and transport them to ‘kill centres’Credit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Six-year-old Salma was devastated when her dog Bingo was taken by dog catchersCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)One man shoots a dog in the streetCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)FIFA ‘betrayal’Pressure is mounting against FIFA to take action – celebrities to join the campaign include Dr Jane Goodall, who’s famed for her work with wild chimpanzees. In a letter, she demanded urgent intervention, writing: “If you fail to act, however, FIFA will be known for its complicity in a horrific act of barbarity – on your watch.”There is simply no excuse for the awful campaign of cruelty that is being executed in football’s name.” Les says the IAWPC has sent letters to FIFA every week, supplied photo and video evidence as well as written testimony, only to receive “no reply, nothing whatsoever”. He says: “Absolute evil is going in Morocco and FIFA and its associations should know better. In the UK, anyone found shooting, poisoning, starving or clubbing a dog would be thrown in jail, because it’s a criminal offence. “This World Cup is being built on three million dead dogs and god knows how many traumatised children, that’s a blood scandal and raises the question of whether we should be sending our football teams there at all.“Allowing Morocco to host the World Cup has greenlit their killing groups to pick up and murder as many dogs as they can, as quickly as they can before 2030. “FIFA is complicit by maintaining the wall of silence. They are not stopping the government from killing their dogs, so they are party to it and complicit.”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Sun contacted FIFA, officials in Morocco and the Moroccan embassy but received no response.Find out more about the IAWPC here or sign their petition.Dog catchers using metal tongs, which cause immense pain, to pick up poochesCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Morocco is preparing to host the 2030 World CupCredit: AFPFIFA President Gianni Infantino has been slammed by animal rights campaignersCredit: EPA More

    • 263 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Plied with drugs dissolved in booze and hosed down like an animal – inside tragic Maradona’s House of Horror court case

      by

      ON the football pitch, Diego Maradona was revered as a god, but in his final days the legendary footballer is alleged to have been treated more like an animal.This week Argentina has been gripped by the start of a five-month trial in which seven of the people tasked with caring for the man who led the country to the 1986 World Cup are accused of his homicide with possible intent.Seven people tasked with caring for Diego Maradona are accused of his homicide with possible intent, the legend in coaching role in 2019Credit: GettyMaradona’s cheat goal against England in the quarter-final of 1986 World Cup in MexicoCredit: GettyFans crowd the hearse as Maradona’s body is taken to the cemetery in 2020Credit: AFPDoctor Leopoldo Luque, centre, wrote ‘the fat man’s going to end up kicking the bucket’ in vile WhatsApp messagesCredit: AFPMaradona died aged 60 from heart disease at his rented home in Tigre, near Buenos Aires, on November 25, 2020, two weeks after undergoing brain surgery.The prosecution claims that the team paid to look after him were criminally negligent.In heated scenes, Maradona’s former lover, Veronica Ojeda, was heard shouting “daughter of a bitch” at one of the accused as the hearing got under way on Tuesday.Outside the court in San Isidro, north of Argentina’s capital, a fan held up a placard with the message “Justice for D10S” — a nickname mixing Maradona’s shirt number and the Spanish word for God.READ MORE ON MARADONA‘Kicking the bucket’Others had tears in their eyes as they chanted his name.There have been claims that Maradona drank beer in the morning and was given sleeping pills dissolved in his booze at night while he was under the accused’s medical care.WhatsApp messages were uncovered in which his neurologist, Leopoldo Luque, wrote “the fat man’s going to end up kicking the bucket”.And it is alleged Maradona was washed down with a hosepipe rather than being helped to the shower.Most read in FootballThe former Barcelona and Napoli player has been adored in the South American nation since his moments of individual brilliance — and his infamous handball “hand of God goal” against England — saw them lift the World Cup in Mexico in 1986.Considerable amounts of his fortune, once estimated at £75million, were blown on addictions to alcohol and cocaine, which contributed to his terrible state of health.Diego Maradona’s daughter fights back tears as she says family live in fear of mafia ahead of trial into his death At the time of his death his heart weighed 503 grams, which was almost double what it should have been.But the prosecution case is that with the right medical care, Maradona would have survived.Chief prosecutor Patricio Ferrari told the court: “You will see during this trial what reckless home care is — reckless, deficient, without precedent, without any type of control during the period that ended with Diego’s death. “In that house of horror where Diego Maradona died, no one did what they had to do.”The problems began for Maradona when he was feted in the southern Italian city of Naples for twice taking their once-lowly side to historic league titles in 1987 and 1990.The Mafia, dominant in the region, kept him supplied with drugs and prostitutes, yet he still somehow managed to play at the top level.Two years before his death, the star told British documentary maker Asif Kapadia of his time there: “Sunday to Wednesday I was partying on cocaine. I would come home high on drugs.”In that house of horror where Diego Maradona died no one did what they had to doChief prosecutor Patricio Ferrari In 1991, traces of cocaine were found in Maradona’s urine sample and a couple of weeks later 1.5g of the same drug was found by police at his flat in Buenos Aires.Maradona’s ex, Veronica Ojeda, demands justice outside trialCredit: GettyA fan holds up a placard with the message ‘Justice for D10S’ — a nickname mixing Maradona’s shirt number and the Spanish word for GodCredit: AFPMaradona’s daughters Dalma and Gianinna arrive for trialCredit: GettyLater, he was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in the United States after testing positive for a stimulant called ephedrine.His attempts to get clean were always short-lived, with hangers-on often willing to get him whatever substances he desired.He also had a voracious appetite for alcohol, food and young women.In 2005, the 5ft 5in Maradona weighed nearly 20st and underwent a gastric band operation.Emergency surgeryThe star had eight children by various mothers that are known of, but since his death at least three other people have come forward claiming to be his offspring.It was not until 2007 that he recognised Diego Jnr as his son. He had been born in 1986 to a mistress.There were a number of health scares over the years, including being treated by doctors at half-time when he was watching Argentina play at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.The most serious was on November 3, 2020, when he underwent emergency surgery at La Plata hospital in Buenos Aires for a blood clot on his brain.His personal doctor, neurosurgeon Luque, performed what appeared to be a successful operation.But there was a question over whether the patient would be better off staying in hospital, where there would be swift access to emergency care, or if he should instead recover in a home setting.Luque, who is one of the seven accused, agreed to take Maradona to the legend’s rented residence in Tigre on November 11.If he got up at 9am and asked for beer he was given itGriselda Morel, an educational psychologist Prosecutor Ferrari told the court: “Clearly, the victim was not in full use of his mental faculties and even less could decide on his own about his health.”He entered that place for a clinical rehabilitation and home medical care that we can say without any doubt was calamitous.”The prosecution alleges that there was no defibrillator on hand to help restart Maradona’s heart if he went into a cardiac arrest and that the medical team did not carry out the necessary checks.Prior to the start of the trial, Griselda Morel, an educational psychologist who worked with Maradona’s eight-year-old son and visited his home, claimed that the sick star was given alcohol.She alleged: “If he got up at 9am and asked for beer he was given it.“One of his custodians crushed tablets he was taking and put them in his beer so he didn’t cause a fuss at night.” Griselda said that Maradona was so confused he would speak on an imaginary phone.The other six accused are psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, addiction specialist Carlos Diaz, doctor Nancy Forlini, nursing co-ordinator Mariano Perroni, nurse Ricardo Almiron and clinical physician Pedro Pablo Di Spagna.Heart in formaldehydeAnother nurse, Gisela Dahiana Madrid, has asked to be tried separately.Gisela’s lawyer, Rodolfo Baque, has claimed that when the nurse warned that Maradona’s heartbeat reached a high 115 beats per minute in the days before his death, “nothing” was done about it.When the former footballer was found unconscious at around 12.30 in the afternoon on November 25, 2020, the medical team spent 45 minutes trying to revive him. But experts believe he died between 4am and 6am, which suggests no one checked on the patient for at least six and a half hours.Post-mortem blood and urine tests revealed Maradona had been given a cocktail of prescription drugs including Quetiapine, Venlafaxine and Levetiracetam which are used to treat depression, panic attacks and epilepsy among other conditions.Fernando Burlando, the lawyer representing Maradona’s daughters Dalma and Gianinna, said outside court that the player had been treated like an animal and went as far as to call it “murder.”The accused are on trial for homicide with possible intent, which could result in 25-year prison sentences. They all deny the charges.Luque said: “The death occurred unexpectedly, suddenly, during sleeping hours, without offering us any time.”The complex medical trial will last until July and see around 100 witnesses give evidence.The final verdict will be delivered by three judges.One of the key pieces of evidence will be Maradona’s heart, which has been kept in formaldehyde at a police laboratory ever since his death.One of the key pieces of evidence will be Maradona’s heart, which has been kept in formaldehyde at a police laboratory.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere have been claims that fans had plotted to steal the organ. And during the 2022 World Cup, Argentinian fans campaigned to have the heart flown to host nation Qatar along with the country’s football team.Why the heart finally failed Maradona — a lion on the football pitch — is sure to inspire a passionate response from devoted fans whatever the court decides.Model of Maradona in a model house shown to courtCredit: Getty More

    • 250 Shares179 Views

      in Athletics

      I’ll never forget coach’s reaction to my pregnancy… getting back to top was such a proud moment says Jessica Ennis-Hill

      by

      OLYMPIC golden girl Jessica Ennis-Hill dealt with many a challenge in her career, but one of the toughest was her coach’s chilling reaction when she told him she was pregnant.It was two years after she had won the heptathlon at the London 2012 Games when she broke the news to Toni Minichiello.Jessica Ennis-Hill at the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year Awards last yearCredit: GettyJessica shows off her baby bump in 2014 while pregnant with the first of her two childrenCredit: Getty Images – GettyTrainer Toni Minichiello with Jessica at 2012 GamesCredit: GettyInstead of congratulating her, he instantly began scrolling through competition dates on his laptop to work out the bombshell implications.Jessica, who was made a dame in 2017 on the back of her Team GB Olympic glory, says of her pregnancy by childhood sweetheart Andy: “It was a bit of a surprise, it all happened sooner than we expected. “It was definitely a shock to all of my team.“My coach had this plan, ‘You’re going to do the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and then Worlds, then Olympics’.READ MORE IN SPORTS“I remember going to his house and being like, ‘I’ve got something to tell you — sit down’. “I was so nervous.“I said, ‘So I’m pregnant . . .’ “He was just so shocked. Most read in Athletics“He didn’t know what to say — he just kind of sat there“And then he got his laptop out and started looking at dates. Jessica Ennis-Hill stuns in bold outfit live on BBC for Paris Olympics as fans say ‘how I have missed you’ “He didn’t even say, ‘congratulations’, he was in such a fluster. “He said, ‘When’s he or she going to be born?’“I was sat there like, ‘Congratulations, you know, anything like that would be nice’. “Eventually he said, ‘Congratulations’.”Defining momentMinichiello was later banned from UK Athletics due to allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he denied.Following the 2022 ruling, Jessica said she was never on the receiving end of any such misbehaviour.But she will never forget his cold response to being told back in 2014 that she was to become a mum at age 28.She adds: “It was quite a challenging time because everyone at that stage thought you don’t start your family during your career.“You do all your career stuff then start your family.“I think that’s since changed. I think a lot of women feel they have the support and policies in place to come back.”Jessica was forced to withdraw from the 2014 Commonwealth Games as a result.She was then determined to get back to her best, but acknowledged her body had changed, so her coach encouraged her not to ­compare how she was before — and just focus on the comeback.She says: “There’s a mental impact when you’re at the back of the group in training — and you’re the Olympic champion.“I would compare myself to me at my best. “When I looked at those times, I was nowhere near.“Eventually I did get stronger and those times came back, but I was never the same version I was before — but that was OK because of being a mum.”Her Olympic heroics at age 26 in front of an expectant home nation had capped an already stellar rise in the heptathlon — comprising the 200 and 800 metres, 100-metre hurdles, high and long jumps, shot put and javelin throw.She says: “My coach would say, ‘These are your post- pregnancy PBs’ [personal bests].”Jessica returned to training just ten weeks after baby Reggie arrived in her life, and initially struggled to rebuild her fitness.’Challenging time’She adds: “It was quite a tricky, challenging time because everyone at that stage thought you don’t start your family during your career, you kind of do all your career stuff and then start your family.“I think that’s since changed. I think a lot of women feel they have the support and policies in place to come back.” But she was forced to withdraw from the 2014 Commonwealth Games — and after she had son Reggie, who is now ten, Minichiello would compare her performances as “before” and “post” pregnancy.She says: “My coach would say ‘These are your post-pregnancy PBs [personal bests].”Jessica returned to training just ten weeks after Reggie arrived, and struggled to rebuild her fitness. She says: “There’s mental impact when you’re at the back of the group when you’re training — and you’re Olympic champion.Jessica beams after winning gold in the heptathlon at London 2012Credit: Times Newspapers LtdJessica competing in the long jump event during the heptathlon at London 2012Credit: Getty“I would compare myself to me at my best. When I looked at those times, I was nowhere near. “Eventually I did get stronger and those times came back, but I was never the same version I was before — but that was OK because of being a mum.”There’s mental impact when you’re at the back of the group when you’re training — and you’re Olympic championJessica Ennis-HillIt was more than OK, in fact, as just 13 weeks into motherhood she stormed back to win the 2015 World Championships in Beijing — then Olympic silver a year later in Rio de Janeiro.Jessica, who would retire the following year, now admits it was crazy trying to achieve again what she had done before her pregnancy.She says: “I thought, ‘What am I doing? What am I training for? This is hard’.“Your body changes so much. “It’s the hormones that go through your body for months after, the relaxing, that makes all your ligaments relax.“So my Achilles were loose and that’s not great when you’re trying to be this coil that needs to jump as high and far as you can.“I couldn’t train like I did before 2012.”But she made it her mission to return to the top of her sport — and soon revelled in the challenge.She says: “That journey was the hardest and the best — that feeling of beating the rest of the world, and those who doubted me, was the best.Greatest achievers“Your body is never going to be the same after having a child, whether it’s coming back to exercising or doing the Olympics.”While Jessica didn’t get a second Olympic gold, she wouldn’t change a thing.She says: “I was incredibly proud of what my body was able to achieve post-natally. “And having my son was the best thing ever. “But I might just get my silver one sprayed gold!”Jessica and Andy went on to have their second child Olivia in 2017 and she is now retired.When she married construction site manager Andy 12 years ago, she was already a national treasure.Her Olympic heroics at age 26 in front of an expectant home nation had capped an already stellar rise in the heptathlon — comprising the 200 and 800 metres, 100-metre hurdles, high and long jumps, shot put and javelin.In 2009, the Sheffield-born star won gold at the World Championships in Berlin and, in 2010, gold in the World Indoor Championships in Qatari ­capital Doha, plus the European Championships in Barcelona.In 2011, she claimed silver at the World Championships in South Korea and, five years later, that was upgraded to gold after Russian star Tatyana Chernova was found to have been doping.After silver at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, there then followed her defining moment atop the podium in London.Today, Jessica says she still gets competitive when she laces up her running shoes. Now aged 39, she adds: “I have done parkruns a few times — my husband was doing it quite a bit at one stage.“I still don’t want to get beaten, especially by someone with a buggy!”After retiring and being ennobled in the 2017 New Year Honours, Jessica won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award that year. She has also launched her own post-natal exercise advice app, become a patron of Sheffield Children’s Hospital and is a TV sports pundit. Oh, and she is launching her own podcast, Gold Minds, where she will chat to some of the world’s greatest achievers about how they overcame real-life challengesYour body is never going to be the same after having a child, whether it’s coming back to exercising or doing the OlympicsJessica Ennis-HillIt means she can finally use the psychology degree from Sheffield University that she gained after leaving school.She says of her podcast: “I get to speak to people about their golden moment that’s changed their life.“They also bring in three items that take us on their journey to reach that moment and the aftermath. “They’ve all been fascinating. “It’s delving into the psychology and mindset.”One of her guests will be British rowing cox Erin Kennedy — a two-time Paralympic champion. Erin, 32, was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, but has continued to win medals at the highest level, including gold at the 2024 Paris ­Paralympics.One of her guests will be British rowing cox Erin Kennedy — a two-time Paralympic champion.Erin, 32, was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago but has continued to win medals at the highest level, including gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympics,.Jessica says of their chat: “Erin was incredible. “I was sat with my mouth wide open, blown away by what she has been through.“She brought in a wig because that was a huge part of her journey to getting back to ­­winning gold in Paris.”READ MORE SUN STORIESShe adds of podcast work: “As an athlete, you’re wanting to push your-self — and this was something out of my comfort zone I wanted to try.” Jessica’s Gold Minds podcast chats with former Olympic boxer Nicola Adams and former Ireland rugby captain Johnny Sexton are on all major platforms. New episodes land on Wednesdays, the next features sports presenter Gabby LoganJessica wearing the Union Flag after her Olympic triumph in front of her home nationCredit: The Times More

    • 250 Shares179 Views

      in Motorsport

      Why Geri wasn’t ‘blindly standing by’ Christian Horner as pal reveals how she REALLY dealt with his F1 text scandal

      by

      DRIVING along happily through the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside in their 4×4 Geri Horner turns to hubby Christian and says: “You never know what life’s going to bring.”The former Spice Girl couldn’t have been more prophetic.Geri and Christian Horner went through a year from hell in 2024Credit: GettyThe couple are pictured before the bombshell news on Drive to SurviveCredit: NETFLIXChristian is captured the moment a slew of alleged private texts messages is anonymously leakedCredit: NETFLIXThe ironic moment – caught on camera for Netflix’s Drive to Survive show last year – reveals how the couple were blissfully unaware that the coming Formula 1 season would threaten to turn their whole lives upside down.Soon after the clip was filmed, Horner, 51, was accused of alleged “coercive behaviour” towards an anonymous employee, sparking two independent investigations over the following year, which ultimately cleared him.But just a day after the allegations were first chucked out, a tranche of text messages and photographs were sent from an anonymous email to dozens of journalists and key F1 figures.Some of the messages were allegedly of a sexual nature – including requests for selfies – and the bombshell leak, which had been timed to coincide with the first race of the season last March, soon became the talk of the circuit.”It was a shock to both of them when the allegations blew up – they never saw it coming,” one friend told The Sun.Red Bull star driver Max Verstappen’s dad Jos called for Horner’s head saying the team would “explode” if he stayed on as the allegations threatened to derail both his job and his marriage.“There is tension here while he remains in position, Verstappen Snr said back in March”The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode.”The 51-year-old known as “Jos the Boss” during his racing days was even forced to deny being the source of the leak after he and Christian reportedly had a blazing row in Horner’s paddock office.Meanwhile there were reports Geri was distraught and in “floods of tears” after reading the messages and that the fairytale couple were heading for divorce.Moment Toto Wolff gets set to break Lewis Hamilton promise in behind-the-scenes clip on Netflix’s Drive to SurviveBut despite the furore, loyal Geri flew to Bahrain to be at her husband’s side and was pictured hand in hand with him at the paddock.Dressed in her signature all-white outfit, she posed at the podium ceremony, all smiles as they celebrated a 1-2 victory for Verstappen and fellow Red Bell driver Sergio Perez.  The couple even shared a kiss in full view of the cameras just before lights out at the track.It was a show of unity and defiance by the pair – although some criticised Horner for parading Geri around the paddock so shortly after the news broke.Geri and Christian appeared hand in hand at the Bahrain Grand Prix after the scandal brokeCredit: GettyThe couple embrace despite the drama unfolding off the trackCredit: PAThe couple share a kiss after Red Bull win the raceCredit: BackGridMax Verstappen’s dad Jos hit out at Horner after the texts were leakedCredit: GettyOne outspoken F1 pundit, former driver Christijan Albers, called the move “a farce and an absolute nonsense”.A body language expert told The Sun at the time Geri appeared “awkward” and as if she was on a “denial mission” as she posed for cameras alongside her hubby.Others wondered how she could back her man so soon after that shock leak.But while some might have thought Geri was burying her head in the sand and standing by her man friends say she is absolutely no pushover and had lots of questions for Christian, who was cleared once again of wrongdoing in August after an appeal to the original findings was dismissed.’Secret to their marriage’“People think Geri was just blindly standing by her man through the whole thing but it’s not like that at all,” a friend said.“She’s been in the spotlight for the majority of her life, so she knows what it’s like to be at the top of your game and the pressures that brings, and it takes a lot to faze her. She is a strong and intelligent woman. “When the allegations first came out, she of course had questions.“They talked through it and since then he has been cleared twice following two independent investigations by two separate KCs (King’s Counsels).“Good communication is one of the secrets to their marriage.”It was a shock to both of them when the allegations blew up – they never saw it coming and a lot of people were spreading hurtful rumours, but it was all untrue, they are in a really good place right now.”When Horner was cleared of wrongdoing back in August, he said he was “relieved” to put the whole saga behind him.Behind the scenes But the new Netflix show captures some of his candid behind-the-scenes reaction to his the texting allegations.The excruciating moment he first faces the world’s media and other team bosses after the texts had been leaked is caught on camera on the new show.McLaren boss Zak Brown addresses a press conference with the cutting remark: “These are not the type of headlines Formula 1 wants or needs.”Cameras cut to defiant Christian walking through the corridors saying “You find out who your friends are” before quipping: “Zak is a p***k.” Christian and Geri showed another united front at the Saudi Arabia Gran Prix last MarchCredit: EPAHorner celebrating the Red Bull Racing Team’s win in JapanCredit: GettyLater, after the second practice session at Bahrain, cameras catch the exact moment the text bombshell drops – with phone alerts pinging and Horner holding his head in his hands in disbelief.It sends the world of Formula 1 into a frenzy. However, despite the controversy off the track, Horner has the last laugh as Red Bull wins the Bahrain Grand Prix in dramatic scenes.”That’s the best way to f*** all of them. Shut the f*** up,” he’s filmed saying to another Red Bull Racing team member.As Red Bull continues to dominate the season Horner says: “In Formula 1 there’s winners and w*****s and you don’t want to be in the “w****r category”.Rivals plot In other parts of the show, he says that the motive behind the leaks was obvious – his rivals wanted him ousted.”The higher you rise, the sharper the knives,” he says.”I’ve reached the top of my game and I never thought in a million years I’d have a challenge like this in my career.”It was obvious that the end goal was for me to leave Red Bull.”It’s a crucial time of year, in a job that I do, you’re the front face of the organisation.”You can either hide away or you can get out there and face it.”It was a dramatic year from hell for the couple – although it ended on a high with Horner picking up a CBE from Prince Charles for his services to motor sports.Horner also reportedly built bridges with Verstoppen’s dad. Happy families And the couple put on a loved up display at the 2024 FIA awards in December in Kigali, Rwanda.And while the new season of Drive to Survive might contain some uncomfortable memories for the pair, the insider said they are not interested in reliving the past at all and are focused firmly on the future and their blended family which includes Bluebell, 18, Olivia, 11 and Monty, eight.Christian and Geri on their wedding day in 2015Credit: Doug Seeburg – The SunChristian and Geri Horner with their children Bluebell, Monty and OliviaCredit: Getty Images – GettyTheir marriage has weathered the storm – and they and the F1 team are “stronger than ever”. “Geri and Christian just want to put this whole episode behind them,” the pal said. “Their marriage is stronger than ever, they just got back from a trip to the States together and had a great time.  “Their priority is their family and they are fiercely protective over their kids and the time that they have to be a family despite their busy schedules. “The [Red Bull] team are stronger than ever too – everything is good.”They are not fazed at all about the new Netflix show and are just focused on the future.  “Yes it was a difficult time for them but they are both very resilient.”A rep for Red Bull declined to comment. More

    • 163 Shares189 Views

      in Soccer

      How Bruno Fernandes’ ‘Steven Gerrard syndrome’ is spoiling Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd system

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED are looking to find a silver lining in their woeful season by winning the FA Cup but will need to beat Fulham in the fifth round on Sunday to move a step closer to that goal.The Red Devils beat Ipswich 3-2 earlier this week despite being down to ten men, but are still flattering to deceive in many ways.On today’s Tactics Exposed we break down why Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 is not workingCredit: GettyBruno Fernandes’ ‘Steven Gerrard syndrome’ is both a blessing and a curse for UnitedCredit: ReutersRasmus Hojlund will need a big turnaround to prove he is the solution at Man UtdCredit: EPAA young, talented Portuguese manager could prove a huge thorn in the side of Man Utd when Marco Silva’s Fulham visit Old Trafford.The Cottagers have gone under the radar for how good a season they are having, sitting in the top half of the table.Meanwhile, Man Utd’s various shortcomings have been well-documented with Ruben Amorim’s system still failing to get the best out of this squad.So how might the ex-Sporting boss look to tackle the next match against Fulham? Our latest episode of Tactics Exposed, in association with Betfair, will hopefully have the answers to all your questions.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWhy is 3-4-3 not working?Amorim’s 3-4-3 system worked wonders at Sporting Lisbon, winning two Portuguese titles and many other accolades. So why is it yet to translate over to England?We took a range of questions from fans about Man Utd’s tactics ahead of their clash with FulhamThe simple answer to start with is that many of these players have never played the system before.Manuel Ugarte, Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt to a lesser extent are the only players familiar with the system, and the lack of specialists in various positions including central midfield and wing-backs are a huge issue.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSSo why does Amorim insist on playing 3-4-3? Well the idea is quite simple: Because the wing-backs provide overloads in all positions on the pitch.When defending, you have a back five, when in possession, you have a four-man midfield instead of two, and when attacking, you have a front five.Roy Keane slams Man Utd in angriest ever rant and has bust-up with Wright over BrunoBefore signing Patrick Dorgu, United lacked a specialist wing-back. Amad Diallo was tried out there before he was moved into the front three, Alejandro Garnacho did not work there, while Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are not quick enough to excel.At Sporting the system worked so well because there was a lot of trust given to players.We should note this was often against sides who many would consider inferior opposition, which is not a luxury as readily extended into the Premier League.Ultimately, as Amorim has warned, it will take time.Players have been left isolated by moving out of their positionsAnother reason this system is failing is that players are moving out of position, leaving them overloaded instead of the opposition.For example, if a long ball is played into the right channel for Rasmus Hojlund to run on to – which prompts a wing-back, one of the tens and a midfielder to step up – when possession is conceded back to the opposition they end up being overloaded and exposed on the other side of the pitch.This happened five or six times against Ipswich, where Ugarte moved out to right wing-back to get the ball, but the wing-back was out wide, so he did not get the ball.Fulham will doubtless look to block the passing lane off which will then leave them outnumbered in trying to find passing solutions.This all comes from the simple fact United players are not being utilised properly when building up.Is Bruno Fernandes overrated?We looked at whether Fernandes is doing too much at Man UtdOur latest episode of Tactics Exposed, in association with Betfair, has given us the chance to directly answer some of your questions.And one of the most heavily debated stars in the Premier League is Bruno Fernandes, as seen with Roy Keane’s explosive argument with Ian Wright earlier this week. The raw numbers tell a story of Fernandes being the star man of Man Utd’s team, with six goals and seven assists in the Premier League and 23 goal contributions across 39 games in all competitions this season.However, as is always the case in football, you have to look a bit deeper to find the real answer, which can often have more than one truth.In one sense, the stats are completely right and you can’t fault his effort.But in his duty as club captain, Fernandes is actually taking on too much responsibility and is therefore disrupting Amorim’s system which is actually quite rigid with defined roles for a number of players.Fernandes has recently been the left-sided midfielder in the central pivot after moving back from one of the two attacking midfield roles. But that has created its own new problem.In the system, the central centre-back, two central midfielders and striker should generally remain in a set position.But Fernandes is suffering from something I will dub “Steven Gerrard syndrome”, where he is trying to do everything and putting the team off balance.While it means he gets on the ball a lot and has a heat map across the entire pitch, Fernandes’ effort ends up creating an overload which favours the opposition.Against Ipswich he would often move into the back three, therefore creating a four, which paired with Ugarte drifting out wide it ends up allowing the opposition to have many extra numbers in attacking areas.So how do you fix this issue? As we mentioned earlier, it comes down to trust.Most teams defend in a 4-4-2 shape, and if Fernandes remains disciplined by staying in his area, it can open passing lanes and create the overloads the Amorim system is designed to create.Of course there is the argument Fernandes is only doing too much because those around him are not pulling their weight. Again, this may be true, with many United players seemingly playing in a cowardly manner and lacking courage.Fernandes needs to learn to trust his team-mates more by handing them more responsibility, but at the same time they need to step up their game to get near the 30-year-old’s level.Rasmus Hojlund is not the answer, is he? More

    • 250 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Politicians are bad at running trains, building cars & installing phones – why would they be better at running football?

      by

      THERE are plenty of things wrong with this country. Our schools, trains and courts are underperforming.The Football Governance Bill is a prime example of unnecessary regulation by politicians seeking to showcase their man-of-the-people credentialsCredit: GettyNo foreign equivalent comes close to the popularity of the Premier League, which is watched by an incredible two billion people all over the worldCredit: GettyWhy tinker with what is working well? Why regulate something that, without ­regulation, has become England’s most popular export?Many civil servants have not bothered to return to the office. Our healthcare system is pitied around Europe.But our football leagues are world-beating.No foreign equivalent comes close to the popularity of the Premier League, which is watched by an incredible two billion people all over the world.Indeed, not only is the ­Premier League the most ­popular in the world; the lower tier English Football League is sixth.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSWhy tinker with what is working well? Why regulate something that, without ­regulation, has become England’s most popular export?The Football Governance Bill, currently in its final stage in Parliament, is a textbook example of needless and ­meddlesome regulation by politicians wanting to flaunt their man-of-the-people credentials.Price of failure It is a non-solution to a non-problem which is bound to have unintended consequences. MPs are using a sledgehammer to miss a nut.Most read in FootballThe new law will create a new ­regulator with 250 staff. (So much for Keir Starmer’s claim that we should focus on growth.)Those staff will be able to tell clubs where they play, in what strip and on what terms.Unify League explained after European Super League launches again in new format They will even be able to commandeer some of their assets to give to other clubs.This is more shocking than people realise.It won’t be long before the state is telling clubs what they must do in terms of gender quotas, Net Zero, ticket prices — you name it. It is one thing for successful clubs to make voluntary ­“parachute payments” to those facing relegation. It is quite another for the Government to help itself to their cash.Regulators never offer to reduce their role. They always want more power. It won’t be long before the state is telling clubs what they must do in terms of gender quotas, Net Zero, ticket prices — you name it.To what problem is this measure a ­solution? Are our clubs facing ruin? Far from it.The taxes they generate are bigger than the employer National ­Insurance rise, the extension of VAT, the farm estate tax and the scrapping of Winter Fuel ­Payments combined.English clubs are successful precisely because the price of failure is high.Two events are cited by ­supporters of the law. One did not happen at all and the other was much less of a problem than is claimed.The one that did not happen was the proposal for a European Super League in 2021, a breakaway group of 20 top clubs, six of them English.Among other things, it is now proposed that clubs should monitor the diversity of their season ticket holders. There was a backlash, and the idea was dropped within weeks.But not before MPs had jumped on the Something Must Be Done bandwagon.The one that did happen was the bankruptcy of Bury FC, which was ­traumatic for many in the town.But Bury is still playing at the same ground and in the same colours — albeit as a new legal entity that must work its way back up from the lower leagues. All that happened without any regulator. Indeed, of all the teams that were in the ­Football League in the Sixties, not one has disappeared.Is one case really enough to justify handing control to the government? Apparently so.The financial collapse of Rangers in 2012 might seem a bigger deal but ­Scotland is outside the scope of this Bill and, in any case, the Gers have also climbed back.The legislation started life under the Conservatives, and has been beefed up by Labour since the election.Create problemsAmong other things, it is now proposed that clubs should monitor the diversity of their season ticket holders.Of course it is. This is how all ­regulators operate.They start with a limited role — in this case, stopping the financial collapse of a club — and end up extending their powers across the board.Let me make a prediction. This regulation will fail in its own terms, creating more problems than it solves.If MPs think that fans are angry now about the occasional rogue proprietor, just wait until they see the relative decline of English football and turn their anger, not against the occasional absentee owner, but against the ­politicians who foisted the ­system on them.The worst sequence in politics goes like this: “Something must be done. This is something. Let’s do this.”READ MORE SUN STORIESPoliticians were bad at ­operating trains, building cars and installing telephones. What makes them think they’ll be any better at running football?Bury FC’s bankruptcy was traumatic for the town, but the club was ultimately saved by fans – not meddling politiciansCredit: AlamyAmong other things, it is now proposed that clubs should monitor the diversity of their season ticket holders.Credit: AFP or licensors More

    • 250 Shares189 Views

      in Soccer

      Inside Mason Greenwood’s sheltered family life abroad as ex Man United ace ‘ditches parties & gives up on England dream’

      by

      HE has wiped the slate clean after leaving Manchester for a new life abroad.And it appears that Mason Greenwood is enjoying his fresh start in France, where he is said to have put his party lifestyle behind him and become a “homebody”.Mason Greenwood and partner Harriet have just welcomed a second daughterCredit: FacebookGreenwood looks over the moon as baby Summer clings to himCredit: Instagram/hasrobsonMarseille bosses are protective over new signing GreenwoodCredit: AFPThe striker – who was accused of attempted rape, assault and coercive control in January 2022 – was sold last summer to Marseille in a deal that netted boyhood team Manchester United £23.3 million.And this week, it was revealed that the 23-year-old and partner Harriet Robson have just welcomed their second daughter in the French city.The couple have carved out a new life 700 miles away from Old Trafford, after Greenwood was moved on by United following pressure from domestic abuse campaigners when the abuse charges were dropped in February 2023.A source told The Sun Greenwood was never likely to return to a British club after the furore.read more Manchester UnitedThey said: “Mason should be Manchester United’s star striker but the reality is he seemingly has no way back.  “He got one cap for England and it’s unlikely he will ever add to that. “The scrutiny he faces in England would be a million times more than he’s had in France. For instance, he was once walking into a petrol station and someone called him a rapist and videoed it.“That doesn’t happen in Marseille where he’s most likely to be stopped and told what a great player he is.Most read in Football“He’s not being asked questions by the press and can focus on his football.”Bradford-born Greenwood was on loan to Spanish side Getafe for a season before his move to Marseille.Man Utd braced for Mason Greenwood lawsuit after Mendy successfully sued City over £11m unpaid wagesInstagram images show him and Harriet enjoying the simple life at home with their eldest daughter Summer and Greenwood looks every inch the doting dad, talking softly to her as a newborn, bottle-feeding and taking her for walks in a buggy.Before leaving Spain, the couple enjoyed a sunshine-soaked Mediterranean holiday and pictures show them relaxing on a private yacht, Greenwood’s arm draped around Harriet, who he has dated since the age of 16.Just before the move to France, he also enjoyed what looked like a solo trip to Tokyo where the £70,000-a-week player went on a shopping spree, buying Harriet an Yves Saint Laurent handbag and a pair of designer toddler shoes for Summer. Our source said Mason has been enjoying football abroad because it gave his family more anonymity, but he is still said to be slightly nervous about going out and about alone.They said: “When he went to Spain he wasn’t playing for a massive club like Real Madrid and what Mason loved was being able to do normal family things, like going out for meals or shopping with Harriet and not be recognised.“He is a lot happier now. His career is not going to be what he expected it to be, which is hard for a player like Mason, who knows how talented he is. Greenwood is a star at MarseilleCredit: AFPHe last year called Harriet the best mum in an Instagram postCredit: InstagramMason at the birth of his first daughterCredit: Instagram/hasrobson“He’s now having to assess what’s more important; does he play for the best team he can or does he just need to play and have a more stable, structured home life?“In France, he’s got good influences around him.”Manchester is a small city and you might wonder about whether the people who surrounded him there had his best interests at heart.“In Marseille he will be going out with teammates and not really hanging about with anyone else.”They are older, more mature, more sophisticated and appear more protective of him.”If they go out for a team meal, Mason isn’t likely to end up partying.”The couple announced Summer’s birth with a sweet imageCredit: Instagram/masongreenwoodSources say Greenwood is enjoying an element of anonymityCredit: Instagram/hasrobsonBaby Summer watches dad playCredit: Instagram/hasrobsonGreenwood had the world at his feet when he enjoyed his breakout season for United in 2019.He was flying high when, in January 2022, he was arrested for attempted rate, assault and coercive control. He was quickly dropped by sponsor Nike.Police charges against him were dropped a year later after a “key witness withdrew their involvement”, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.United flirted with the idea of bringing Greenwood back but, after pressure from domestic abuse campaigners, he was put out on loan.He’s happier and team mates are protectiveClub sourceIt wasn’t the first time Greenwood had been in hot water with the club.In September 2020 he and midfielder Phil Foden were sent home from England’s hotel in Iceland for breaking Covid-19 guidelines.The scandal saw the pair sneak two Icelandic girls into the England team hotel, which resulted in pictures of the Three Lions stars being leaked on social media.Greenwood was then accused of flouting restrictions again by throwing rowdy parties at a 13-bed Airbnb in Manchester.Since arriving in Marseille, he and model Harriet, who has worked with brands like Fashion Nova and Pretty Little Thing, are said to be enjoying the “simple life”.An insider this week said: “They are both delighted with the safe arrival of their second child. Mason is performing well on the pitch and then he comes home to Harriet and his children.Scandal-hit timelineHere’s how the Man United striker’s career unfolded Oct 2018: Signs his first professional contract with Man United.Sept 2020: Makes his senior international debut for England in Iceland but is sent home for breaking covid rules.Jan 2022: Arrested by Manchester cops after a woman accused him of a number of assaults via social media. She posts video and pictures on Instagram. He is suspended and dropped by Nike.Feb 2022: All charges against Greenwood are dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service says key witnesses withdrew their involvement and new material came to light.August 2023: He is loaned to Spanish club Getafe for the 2023-24 La Liga season.July 2024: Leaves Man United in a five-year deal with Marseille.“Life is simpler and they have less distractions, which is suiting the both of them.”Bosses at his new club have made it clear they support their new signing while dressing room sources say he is a “very polite and kind young man”.They added: “If he ever goes out, he is never alone. He is always a little worried and vigilant.”His move to Marseille caused controversy as some fans protested the move and city mayor Benoit Payan claimed he would bring “shame” to the club.Greenwood has previously said that he understood “people will think the worst” of him but his new team’s president Pablo Longoria says fans are being won over by his footballing.He told Spanish outlet Relevo: “His behaviour has been excellent since arriving… we are very proud to have Mason among us.”New manager Roberto De Zerbi said: “He’s a champion, an international level player.“I don’t know what happened (in the UK), I’m not concentrating on private lives.READ MORE SUN STORIES“When a player sings for the club I consider him my child.“Even if I can pull his ear in private, I will defend him publicly. My players are like my sons.” More

    • 313 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      I jumped in front of a lorry after blowing my life savings at casino – now it’s a joy to be alive, says Clarke Carlisle

      by

      AFTER being released from his club ten years ago, former footballer Clarke Carlisle lost a £100,000-a-year TV job and blew much of his life savings in one trip to a casino.The same night as that loss, the ex-Premier League star, who was battling depression, went missing before jumping in front of a truck in an attempt to end his life.Ex-Premier League star Clarke Carlisle and wife CarrieCredit: Richard WalkerClarke went missing in 2015 before jumping in front of a truck in an attempt to end his lifeCredit: *Clarke in action for football club BurnleyCredit: PA:Empics SportBut today, the 45-year-old speaks of the joy of being alive — and explains that instead of turning to gambling in his dark days, he now seeks solace . . . by hiding behind the fridge.Clarke and his wife Carrie work to help others facing suicidal thoughts, holding online talks and courses for people dealing with mental health issues.The defender, whose clubs included Blackpool, Burnley and QPR, said: “I have been to the edge of existence.”Now I can proudly say I’ve not had an episode of depression for years. I’ve not needed meds for three years. I am the most well I’ve ever been.”Read more on Clarke CarlisleCarrie added of one of his new coping mechanisms: “He literally goes and hides behind the fridge. He goes there and takes a little moment.“I won’t even know he’s there, and I’ll open the fridge and the fridge light will go on and I’ll see the ears from his Batman onesie.”Clarke, who has two children with Carrie and three from previous relationships, added: “I know when I start coming down and I need to withdraw. I would stand in the dark, on my own and in my own thoughts.“So I would stand there when I needed to with-draw. The key part of it, it is also where the radiator is. When I do experience depression, I physically get cold. It’s about finding the way for you to deal with things.”Most read in FootballClarke, who was chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association and has also appeared as a contestant on TV game show Countdown, said: “I was a perfectionist as a footballer, critical of things that I would do.“I was in an environment where it is about wins and losses. I tried to replicate that in normal life and in my relationships. My self-worth was governed by results and performances on this pitch.Clarke Carlisle joined Jim White on talkSPORT to discuss mental health and his own battles“So if we won, I felt great. I was a good human and then that would give me positivity going into all my wider interactions, because in my head, that makes me a good dad, a good husband, a good son.“If we lost, that meant I was a terrible human because other people were sad and I’d let them down, which made me a bad dad, a bad husband, a bad brother.“Now I prioritise the things that matter. I meditate a lot, I pray, I prioritise family. I make sure I put the kids to bed at least once a week.“I make sure that they can come into my bedroom and jump on me in the morning. And Carrie and I make sure we have monthly date nights.”With the annual mental health awareness Time To Talk Day next Thursday, Clarke said he still finds exercise triggers pressures he felt in his playing days and gets PTSD around the anniversary of his suicide bid.He is now calling for an independent body to oversee the mental health of all footballers in the UK.‘Terrible human’Ex-TV presenter Carrie, a former alcoholic, said starting the process of writing a series of self-help material, such as Shut Up, Alcohol, played a part in helping Clarke get better.Clarke was released by Burnley in 2012 and in 2014 lost his £100,000-a- year ITV Champions League pundit role before that fateful trip to the casino. He then went missing before throwing himself in front of a lorry on the A64 Leeds to York dual carriageway.Clarke was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary. He suffered cuts, bruises, internal bleeding, a broken rib and a shattered left knee.On Christmas Day 2014, he was admitted as an in-patient to a psychiatric unit in Harrogate and placed on suicide watch.He remained there until he was discharged in February 2015, when, shortly after, he did an interview with The Sun.Ten years on, Clarke said: “After that, I knew I was very unwell. In the lead-up to that, I was being very negative, hypercritical, insular.“I’d never done anything about my depression, and I was clinically depressed.Clarke and Carrie getting married in 2016Credit: SuppliedClarke revealing superman-style vest in game for QPR in 2002Credit: Getty”I didn’t take medication for a myriad of reasons but predominantly because I thought, ‘I’m a man and a Premier League footballer’. I didn’t understand that my thoughts were different or dangerous.“A lot of it was tied into self-worth. I do have an analytical mind. I was using alcohol so that my brain stopped thinking. I was using gambling so that my brain was thinking about something else.“I’m really blessed I never got into drugs. If I had I would be dead now.“Football was pretty much the only thing I thought gave me value. So when I left, I was totally bereft of anything that anyone else valued about me.“I brought my football home, the perfectionism, the autistic portion, compulsive aspect, the need for everything to happen at this time, at this pace, immediate success or failure. There’s no middle ground.I knew then he was an amazing, handsome man. And I know that even more to this dayCarrie“And it’s a dynamic that is ingrained within you, and everything falls into these two categories.”For the first year of my therapy, I had to discover this middle ground of things just being OK, being good enough.“Because in football that had never been good enough, because it’s not the best, it’s not perfect. This transferred into relationships. It was so, so destructive. It was dangerous.”In 2016, Clarke met Carrie, who worked as an ambassador at football anti-racism charity Kick It Out.She said: “It was a whirlwind romance. We gave each other our business cards and I don’t think we ever thought we’d see each other again.‘Dead by tomorrow’”But he emailed and we went for dinner. Within five minutes of sitting down for dinner, he was like, ‘We are gonna get married, have babies’. On the second date he brought his psychiatric papers.“We moved in together three weeks later. Then we got engaged a few months later. And then nine weeks after, we got married.“I knew then he was an amazing, handsome man. And I know that even more to this day. I’m obsessed with him.”The pair worked with each other to support their needs, Carrie with her anxiety and Clarke with his depression.But in 2017, Clarke went missing again and was eventually found in Liverpool before being taken to a psychiatric facility in Blackburn.Carrie said: “When Clarke was found, I wanted to bring him home. I was six months pregnant and I was like, ‘Let’s just go back to this place’, because up to 24 hours ago, I didn’t know anything was wrong.“Luckily, someone took me aside and said, ‘OK, Mrs Carlisle, if you take him home, he’ll be dead by tomorrow’. And that was a slap in the face that I needed.”Clarke then began counselling. He said: “I started to dig deeper and realised I needed to be well.Clarke on TV’s Countdown in 2010Credit: Channel 4“I needed to be alive. I wanted to be here.”Carrie asked him to read through some thoughts she had around her Shut Up, Alcohol method, which she developed in 2006.Clarke said: “The incredible thing about my awesome wife is that she’s been able to put that into a clear and really quite simple process of self-progression and self-accountability, and it brings the power back when you’re talking about your mental health.”You’re not waiting on the NHS to come and fix you.“She asked me to read something she was writing about other issues and it helped me with my attitude to gambling.”Using her Shut Up method, Carrie has written more than 20 books, as well as devising courses to accompany each one.The pair offer online talks and courses for issues such as alcohol, gambling and suicidal thoughts.Carrie said: “Most people don’t want to die.“They just can’t live like this any more. We aim to guide them on their own journey out of it.“We both see it as a great opportunity to pay our own lived experiences forward.”I do miss certain moments of footballClarke CarlisleClarke, who now has a degree in psychology, says he is in the best shape mentally he has been for years. He is “finally able” to enjoy watching football again.But he said: “I can’t go and do a simple run without thinking, ‘Oh, you’re only cheating yourself. You can go faster than this’, or ‘You should have been in the Olympics next year’.”“But I do miss certain moments of football — the first day of the season, a magnificent end of the season, a successful season.”Last week, ex-Premier League referee David Coote said he would be prioritising his mental health after a series of scandals led to him being stripped of his job.And Clarke now wants an independent advisory board for players and referees to help them deal with mental health.He said: “It would great to see a new independent body. They need to stop acting in silos, whether it’s the individual organisations — EFL, Premier League, the WSL, the Championship, the PFA, the FA.“They’re all individual things and giving cursory nods to each other’s activities.“But there is no continuation of care. We need an external third party, an advisory board.“But everyone, even if you are not in football, should be aware that there is help out there.“I have a professional coach. I have the people who I trust. I prioritise the things that make me feel good and keep me well, irrespective of what’s going on.“I am proof that you find a path. You just need to talk to the right people.”READ MORE SUN STORIES Find out more about Clarke and Carrie’s work at clarkeandcarrie.com.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.Help for mental healthIf you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.The following are free to contact and confidential:Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Email info@mind.org.uk or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk, is the a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales. More