- Liam Manning not returning to manage Huddersfield.
- The ex-head coach’s issue highlights mental health issues.
- Can City follow Palace’s example and provide aftercare for players?
With the confirmation that former Norwich City head coach Liam Manning has stood down at Huddersfield after a period of compassionate leave, this highlights why mental health provision and aftercare are so important.
Issue
With hindsight, it was clear that Manning was struggling to cope with both management and the mental toll of losing his son.
While some may talk about “powering through” in practise this can be detrimental as by trying to avoid the emotional issue you face you instead make it harder to address by suppressing it.
Money
Predictably, some people may point to the fact that Manning was well paid to do his job. The psychotherapist Jonathan Decker often quotes the phrase, “It’s not the Olympics of suffering.”
Yes, a person who earns more money will have more access to means with which to cope with difficult issues, that is undoubtedly true.
But this does not erase the problems that come with mental health issues, especially ones tied with traumatic events.
Structure
Another counter to this can be “I don’t have anyone helping me with mental health at my work” and in this instance I would say this is exactly the point.
The Canaries Mental Health Trust has done great work in highlighting the need to remove the stigma of mental health issues and their video on suicide and how the signs are not always obvious remains one of the most powerful I have ever seen, regardless of the fact it’s related to Norwich City.
But on a wider level as mental health issues become more understood the structure also has to be in place so that people have somewhere to turn to.
Aftercare
Crystal Palace have become the first team to establish an aftercare program for players who get released, giving them the support needed to find work away from football and benefit them in the long term.
I have attended mental health events at Norwich City and have seen the organisations and people working hard to address this.
Unfortunately, the need for this aftercare has been highlighted with former player Ben Marshall getting arrested for vandalising an antique shop .
The player was said to have had mental health issues due to poor financial decisions after retiring from football. With more support, this is something that could have been addressed before he reached this point.
With talk of overhaul over the season, this is one area that I think is vital for all clubs, not just Norwich City.
Community
People can scoff at football but there is power behind it and there is a reason that clubs are often at the heart of community projects, as the message can often hit home in a way that a more didactic approach might not.
Finally, I have said this before, but happy to say it again – I hope that Liam Manning finds the support he needs to continue in whatever way makes his life better, whether or not that is in football management.
