England star who earns £65,000-a-week bravely opens up on secret battle with depression
- Spurs defender Danny Rose reveals he went through serious depression when he suffered knee injury
- He recounted how his brother was shot at and his mum was racially abused
- He made five appearances at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia but failed to find the back of the net in the process
Tottenham Hotspur star Danny Rose has recounted his ordeal while trying to overcome depression and other concerns.
The 28-year-old left back was part of the England team that finished fourth at the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia this summer.
He made five appearances but never got his name on the scores sheet in the entire championship.
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The defender spent over nine months on the sidelines after suffering terrible knee injury in October 2017.
However, the period left the Three Lions player at the mercy of a psychologist as the memories of his dark moments came back at him.
The Mirror reports that the experience started with a knee injury, and the initial frustration of pills and needles which failed to cure it, before the ravages of depression closed in like nightfall.
During this period, one of his uncles 'took his own life' while his mother was subjected to racist bigotry.
His brother was also fired at by a gun man which further deepened his state of mind at the moment.
Rose said: "It all stemmed from my injury in January last year, when I was advised I didn’t need an operation.
"I don’t know how many tablets I took to try to get fit for Tottenham, how many injections I had to try.
"I had cortisone-PRP (platelet rich plasma) injections to try to get fit for my club, and four months down the line – after all the football I missed, when the team was flying and I was playing really well – it was difficult.
"Seeing the lads beat Arsenal and Manchester United comfortably - it was hard. I’m not saying I’ve had worse treatment than anyone else, but that was the start of it."
He continued: "I was on medica'tion for a few months – nobody knows about that apart from my agent – but I’m off it now, it’s all good, and I’m looking forward to seeing how far we can go in Russia.
"Being referred to a doctor and psychologist by my club doctor helped me massively to cope.
"I’ve been through a lot, and England has been my salvation. One million per cent. But off the field, there have been other incidents.
"In August, my mum was racially abused back home in Doncaster – she was very angry and upset about it. Then someone came to the house and nearly shot my brother in the face.
“Nobody knows this either, but my uncle hung himself in the middle of my rehab and that triggered it [depression] as well.”
Looking back, he can identify the symptoms now. Easily dismissed as mood swings, they were classic signs of a tortured soul.
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He said: “I was getting very angry, very easily. I didn’t want to go into work or do my rehab, I was snapping when I got home.
"Friends were asking me to do things and I wouldn’t go out. I would come home and go to bed.”
Rose was fined two weeks’ wages – around £130,000 – by Tottenham last year after claiming their star players were underpaid and the club needed marquee signings, “not ones you have to Google”.
Rotated, when fit, with Ben Davies for the left-back slot, he was restricted to just 17 appearances last season, and admitted: “It’s no secret I’ve been through a testing time, which led to me seeing a psychologist and being diagnosed with depression.
"I had to get away from Tottenham, and I’m lucky England gave me that opportunity to refresh my mind. I owe them a lot.
"Fortunately, I have a strong relationship with the physio here, Steve Kemp. I texted him every now and then, asking ‘Do you think I’ll be in the squad?’
"I used to badger him to try to get information, but he couldn’t tell me anything and I was worried.
"The manager is based at St George’s Park a lot and I would bump into him during my rehab and occasionally have dinner with him.
"Away from here, I’ve had the odd text or phone call. He’s one of the nicest men I’ve come across in football.”
NAIJ.com earlier reported that Prince William and Duke of Cambridge, has commended England defender Danny Rose after speaking publicly about his depression struggles.
The Tottenham player revealed he was battling mental issues and said he was actually diagnosed with depression.
Sky Sports report that William spoke with Rose during his visit to England camp at West Riding County Football Association on Thursday, June 7, ahead of their final warm-up game against Costa Rica.
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Source: Naija.ng