NEIL LENNON, THE Hibernian manager, has revealed he battled with a bout of depression during the club’s Scottish Championship-winning season.
The former Celtic, Leicester City and Northern Ireland midfielder led Hibs to promotion back to the top-flight of Scottish football this season, but says the pressure of management took its toll.
Lennon had previously spoken about his mental health issues during his playing career but appearing on Sky Sports News HQ this morning, he urged others dealing with depression to seek help.
“The job is difficult enough when you’re feeling okay,” the 45-year-old said.
“But when you suffer from a bout of depression everything is magnified. You feel ten times worse about things.
“I did have an episode of it this season for about four or five weeks and the club were great about it.
“They were really supportive, as were my back-room staff as well. I got through it okay and came out the other side. When you come out the other side it’s a great feeling.
“There was a lot of people there for me, the LMA (League Managers Association) included. They were a great source of help. What you do is put a brave face on publicly – but inside you are feeling it.
“I totally understand why people don’t want to talk about it but the more you talk about it to professional people the easier it becomes to deal with.”
After a two-year spell with Bolton Wanderers, Lennon took over the Easter Road job last summer and instantly guided Hibs back to the Scottish Premier League after a three-year absence.
If you need to talk, contact:
- Pieta House 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm)
- Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
- Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
- Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
- Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)
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Kane’ s second goal oozed class, a great three points for Spurs I thought they were struggling to break Villa down until the last 15 mins.
Grealish caught wanting too much time on the ball a few times, he’ll need to adjust to Premier League, on the bright side for Villa Mings put some shift in at the back, looks top quality.
@Sean: glrealish has lost 18 games in a row.. The longest of any player in premiership history
@Chonky Racoon: how did you work that one out considering they came up through the playoffs? Unless you mean he has lost his last 18 premier league games in which case that’s just a completely meaningless start as he only appeared in 16 league games the year they went down so it’s a stat spread over 3 Prem seasons over 5 years apart.
Clinical finishes from Kane. So important fir spurs that he stays fit. Eriksen showed his class. Would love him to sign a new contract. Decent first showing from Ndombele. With Son, Ali & La Celso still to come in fir spurs it could be another good season.
90 minute game, Spurs showed patience and class in the last 20 minutes. Kane has the X factor. Ndoble could be a player.
Spurs looked like a real side tonight, in the past they would have lost that match, but a serious team now the last 20 mins they showed it. Grealish well he’ll have better days.
Delighted your man lost the ball for Spurs’ second.
Typical kane.. Does nothing for 70 odd mins then sores a jammy goal.