THIS TIME LAST year, former Ireland striker Jonathan Walters gave a powerful interview, and opened up about the death of his mother when he was just 11 years old.
“I put up a wall and locked it away,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Tony Livesey.
And now, days after announcing his retirement, Walters joined Livesey for another emotional in-depth interview. This time he spoke candidly about the recent death of his brother.
The ex-Burnley star lost his brother James last summer, and is still coming to terms with his passing. Walters hopes that time away from football will help him with that.
“I’ve talked about Mum a lot more with close members of my family and my Mum’s sisters,” he explained. “I found out a lot more things I didn’t know about her.
“Then while I was going through it all, my brother passed away last summer. He was just 35 and it was difficult, it was tough. You are dealing with all that at home and then you are back on your own in the gym every day and it was a difficult time.
“Now that I’m finished as a player, I will take more time to look after that side of things for me. I’ll be taking myself out of football and the day to day routine to spend a lot of time on myself. It’s a tough thing to do, but something that’s needed to be done.
“One of my Mum’s sisters went into a bereavement counselling in Dublin and I have spoken to her about it briefly. It is something I will look at now. I’m a very private individual and knowing that support is there is very good for me.”
Walters announced his retirement from club and international football at the age of 35 last Friday, ultimately due to an Achilles injury.
Since then, he’s watched his former Ireland team-mates record 1-0 wins over Gibraltar away and Georgia at home respectively, and admits it’s tough to look on.
“It’s the most difficult part,” he told Live Drive. “When you’re watching Ireland, that’s heartbreaking.
“I haven’t played a lot of club football the past couple of years, and I’ve always said I could park that to the side, but the one thing I’ll miss the most is the international side.
“Everything about it — from meeting up with the team, to all the staff there from the bus drivers to the physios, the security guys, everyone. Apart from that, I am a big believer in what is meant to be is meant to be.”
Walters, who scored 14 goals in 54 international games for the Boys In Green and ended his playing career on loan at Ipswich Town, admitted that he was ‘very surprised’ at the reaction he has received since announcing the news, adding that it was ‘strange’.
“I didn’t realise people held me in such high regard,” he said. “Looking back, looking at all the photos, that’s when it gets you a bit. I’ve managed to live my dream and it’s been a great journey along the way.”
He also delved into his plans for the future. Getting his coaching badges to help his children is most definitely on his radar, along with some of the things he’s pursuing already.
“I’ll take a variety of routes and see which path is the right one to go down,” he said. “I’ve got involved with media work over the past year or so and really enjoyed that, because you can give your perspective on football.
“A different route is an agency. The agent who looks after me is an ex-player. He went into it looking after four of five players maximum, and he said to me if I fancied it when I finished I could help him out and he’d teach me. That interests me, because I wouldn’t be doing it for a financial reason.
“I’ve been clever with my finances down the year and it’s not something that I need, I’d do it to look after people and guide them in the way I’ve looked after myself during my career. I’ve always done things my own way, and done it the right way.”
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Poor auld Mayo…
@Coner Willis: ___Well done DUBLIN! COYBIB.
Next year is there year
@George Hogan: the losing team doesn’t usually get motm in an all Ireland but Chris Barrett today gave a performance for the ages. I’m not a Mayo man but he was sensational. Hard luck to Mayo though
@Lad: Don’t disagree. He had a brilliant game. It could have gone either way depending on the clock.
@Brian O’Loughlin:
@Brian O’Loughlin: *crying laughing
@Father Spodo Komodo: Sorry was in such a rush posting I forgot to spell check….I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss Cluxton lifting the trophy….for the third year in a row! COYBIB
@Lad: mayo were the better team today I thought. Sometimes that little bit of luck doesn’t come your way.
@Jane: Jane it was close and hard luck to mayo but Dublin are the best team in this country and have proven it again and again including today.
Dublin had to be at their very best to win today and they were
@Coner Willis: You have to hand it to Dublin, they have that insatiable killer instinct to always find a way to win. The pundits were right; Mayo were battle hardened and came out firing on all cylinders, Dublin were sloppy and lethargic in the first half, but they fought their way back like champions and found a foothold in the final minutes. The ref gave Mayo a few very soft frees, and let the match run on way too long after Dublin took the lead, but the writing was on the wall at that stage.
@John drennan: this nonsense narrative. If the ref had donoe his job this game would have been over with smalls reducing dublin to 13 men after the eye gouger had already left the field. The media are bottling this for cheap dub clickbait.
Mayo would have had this if the ref was stronger. I am a galway man and have little gra for mayo football usually but they were done today.
This is a good Dublin team but the great label doesn’t hold for me.
As Kerryman Big Congrats to this Dublin Squad & Management,Phenomenal achievement in Modern era to have hunger Drive Desire to come back & win more year after year to win 3 in a row is jaw dropping! Ye have raised the bar so high it’s up to rest of Counties to quit bitching & moaning but work harder to & catch or surpass them!! But today is Dublin’s day FairPlay EPIC footballers
@colm buckley: Comment of the day, well said.
@colm buckley: well said
@colm buckley: well said
@Tip Top: so how do Wicklow, Leitrim, Carlow, London, Louth etc catch up. Show me the blueprint for success for 2nd tier counties ? Show me the funding ? The championship is a mess, everyone knows it and barring a handful of competitive games a year you might as well say good luck. BTW I don’t begrudge Dublin their win as they deserve it but don’t tell me there is a level playing field.
@colm buckley: we’ll done colm. Excellent comment
Donal Vaughan
@Hugh Jass: madness. Just madness
@Elma Phudd: Not the first player to have a rush of blood to the head, won’t be the last. His sending off isn’t the reason Mayo lost. Massive credit to Dublin!
@Hugh Jass: two yellows I thought. Ref bottled it. If the dub lad wasn’t on a yellow it would have just been two yellows.
@Michael Buckley: it’s not the only reason but it is definitely a big reason.
@Joshua Walsh: Vaughan’s was red all day. Interesting question is whether the ref would have sent off the Dublin player if Vaughan hadn’t intervened – to me, he should have, but the ref might have bottled it. Vaughan made it easy for the ref to give out two red cards.
@Joshua Walsh: third man in rule
@Hugh Jass: crazy decision, a free in with an extra man went to a hop ball with the same number of players. Mayo would have taken that point at the end not to mind having a spare player for the kick outs & general play. A major decision on his part & he had a second or two to think about it before he got to Small. He left the ref with an easy decision as he was giving Small a second yellow.
@Joshua Walsh: a blow to the head is a straight red card. Aidan O Shea had a one hundred percent black card not given too. You can’t blame the ref this time lads (or any other in my view but we won’t go there),
Hard luck today
Some achievement. Fair play to mayo they gave it a go unfortunately for them they came up against one of the best teams in recent memory
It’s more like the Joe McQuillan show again as usual. He is….without question….. The worst ref to ever take charge of a GAA game at any level
@James Doherty: yawn!
@James Doherty: don’t be silly, was his 3rd Final so he isnt as bad as u are making him out to be, everyone makes bad calls, players and management inc, Mayo lost bcos of Mayo, not the ref!
@James Doherty: Couldn’t agree more. A 16th man for the Dubs. Dublin goal was carrying, gave them a handy free when 2 of their players crashed into each other and there way that mayo player should have walked. But there you go probably sower grapes on my behalf.
@James Doherty: I was cheering for Mayo, but I thought McQuillan largely got it right. There was so much going on off the ball the whole game, it was impossible to ref really.
@James Doherty: you’re right, he had an absolute shocker and allowed Mayo away with murder time and again, but he wasn’t the reason either team won or lost.
@James Doherty: he did ok, it was a tough match to ref.
@Patricia Ellis Dunne: I’m stating as a neutral. He was horrible for both teams. Just saying
Dublin congrats. From a mayo man. We will be back. See ya next year.
@Jimmy Roughneen: I dread seeing Mayo next year Jimmy. That mayo team are bravehearts. Hard luck today
Dub here. Hard luck mayo. You were probably better on the day. Please though cut all the excuses and blames
@Ollie Watson: In fairness that was a clear cut penalty. Mayo have every reason to be aggrieved
@phil: initial contact outside the box there were frees given to mayo very softly too. Let’s be honest though decisions weren’t the difference today
@phil: No chance of penalty, initial contact outside the box.
Diarmuid Connolly worth his weight in gold.
Gutted for Mayo but Dublin fans should cherish their team and these days. They are winners.
99% were behind mayo feckin dubs
@rowan hill: Feckin Dubs. Let’s take the rest of Ireland and push it somewhere else.
@Shanahan: Where would all the culchies live and work then?
No one outside of Dublin will give credit where’s it’s due. The begrudgers will be out in force. This team has just won 3 in a row, you may not see a team do that for another 30 or 40 years. It’s an amazing achievement. So here’s what all the begrudgers can do, go f### yourselves!!! Up the Dubs!!!!! #HistoryMakers #ThreeInaRow
@Stephen Duggan: you might want to re-read most of the comments here.
@Stephen Duggan: playing at home is worth a few points
@Fracko: those sour grapes nice?
@TravellingTheWorld: no, the steroids all the Dublin team is on helps more!! Grow up!
@Fracko: you kind of have a point – i never struggled to get a ticket to a Dublin match throughout the 00s, but couldn’t get one for the last 3 finals….. however Dublin were filling croker for every game they played in the 90s and 00s, so talking about all fans being recent is clearly bull.
Also saw loadsa mayo fans around Drumcondra today who probably haven’t worn a shirt since last year’s final – bandwagons happen everywhere .
Heart breaks for Mayo
31 against 1. Somehow always manages to make us winning it year after year sweeter.
Nothing against Dublin but sickened for mayo
Winning without playing to their best. A great team. In fairness they have deserved the 3 in the row. Even when they went behind today you always knew they’d come back and win it.
@Danny Nash: I think they were at their best. Mayo played phenomenally and we had to be at our best
Great game, well done Dublin. Mayo should have had a penalty in fairness it was clearly inside the rectangle. May not have changed the result as Dublin had chances for goals after it but still.
@phil: not trying to kick you when your down Phil but the initial contact was outside by a bit
Fair play to Dubin they deserved their win today just about, but hard luck to Mayo.Dublin are making the biggest records today well done to them and by the look of it they will be around for another year at least.
Certainly not the best ever anyway.
@Ewan Scott: best Dublin team ever.
@O’David Dave: tbf at the moment I don’t think they are, not quite winning all Ireland’s like kk were in 00s, but as a measurement they are only two years away from history if they could do the drive for 5..
@Lad:Poor comparision surely it is easier beat a great football team than it is to beat a great hurling team any day.
@John Carroll: you literally couldn’t be more wrong.. the higher scoring game the more likely the chances of the better team winning, goes for every sport!
Congrats to the best team in Ireland in the last four decades at least, No stopping them, 4 in a row next year, Hope we meet Kerry, Hard luck Mayo, They gave everything.
@Ciarán:
If that Clifford guy goes senior we might be in with a chance next year.Well done Dublin, ye made heavy weather of it in the first half though.
@Ciarán: sorry but their not, kerry 8 alirelands and 4 in a row on the 80s. But if dublin win another 3 or 4 all Ireland’s then they are.
Thank F connelly didn’t score that final point..
Well done dublin..
@dangermouse: he won the free and made a big difference from the bench, the bench was the difference
@ktsiwot: spot on. Dublin had to change things after rhe first half and change quickly. It (just about) paid off.
@dangermouse: he’s scored the best point I’ve ever seen in an all Ireland final though
Poor old mayo again.. Closest yet today! So unlucky thought they least deserved a draw, but dublin dig in deep till the final whistle! Don’t know what Vaughan was thinking. Probably the losing of the game with the tackle on small! Maybe a potential penalty for mayo? Great final though
Was it ever going to end any different a championship final played in one of the county’s countys in which they play 99% of their championship games ..simple fact if this was in any other sport their would be uproar never mind the funding which is also farscial..even the dubs I know admit it’s a biased sport but que the deluded dubs who think I’m bitter by stating facts …
@Stevo02 Scofield:
Go away with your nonsense.
@Sandra Clifford:
My sentiments exactly.
@Sandra Clifford: stay classy.
@Sandra Clifford: Did you put one on bertie ?
@Con Murphy: Yeah great point you have defended my facts profusely the team should buy you a pint in coppers well done
@Stevo02 Scofield:
Let the bitterness and bullshit begin, maybe the county should be divided into 2 North south but if that happens then maybe they should do that to
Kilkenny/ Kerry/ any county that has won numerous championships. Utter bollix again from the vanquished. Try harder
@Stevo02 Scofield: I’ve never heard any English soccer club blame losing an fa cup final to a London club on the venue…
There won’t be a tourist milked in Temple Bar tonight.
@Paul O’Connor: as a celebration of the dubs achievement temple bar pints will under 7 euro for 70minutes only
So unlucky mayo
Mayo just don’t have the ruthless edge that Dublin showed , Mayo the superior team today but Dubs know how to win games
Speaking as a Dub it was 2 great teams going at it my nerves were gone
@GRONG: west brits the best gaa team this generation. id say that hurts.
@#WarPulev: ok pal stay off the glue . Refs win games too ya know …..
@#WarPulev: West Brits? How old are you? Something wrong with the British you racist sc**bag!!!! Sore loser!!
Was Alec Ferguson doing the time keeping?
@Daithí Uí Ciarmhaic: rock took an eternity to take that free, can’t get away with that
@Dave O’Hanlon: Clarke took an eternity to take the kick out before that. And Rock has to wait for the Mayo substitute Ger Cafferkey to come on before taking the free. Before I’m accused of bias, I’m from Tipp.
@Dave O’Hanlon: he didn’t get away with it. The referee played on for 2 and a half minutes after he scored!
One of the best displays of football that I’ve seen in both teams in a long time, was such a great game and a great nail biting final , hard luck Mayo. Well done Dublin
And Andy Moran was taken off because……….
Ba mhaith liom chomdeargas a dhéanamh go dtí foireann Athá Cliatha.
Oh ye poor aul fcukers Mayo, serious sympathy for em
A dub ,it could have gone either way ,Mayo were a great team and I almost feel sorry for them ,but ian still happy they didn’t win
jesus,only for vaughan losing the head mayo had it,clarkes going long on a vital kick out was unforgivable as well,have to hand it to the dubs though,ground it out.
Always the bridesmaids!
What I would suggest all the begrudgers do is probably morally wrong and physically impossible. Come on you boys in blue!!
Congratulations Dublin, great win. Kerry will be gunning for ye next year, with that David Clifford guy.
There’s moonlight in Mayo. Sam Maguire is in Dublin.
-7 steps Dublin goal
-Vaughan eejit
-Clear penalty for Mayo
-Oh & they’re cursed
Donal Vaughan won’t sleep well tonight, unlucky Mayo but Dublin just about deserved!!!
Touughshitsky or as they say in Spain El Tuffo
Fckn joke.
Mayo BADLY cheated
Stupidity of Vaughan cost Mayo as well as clear cut penalty denied
Would mayo have had free from point where Kilkenny committed black card offence feather than retake kick out
Well done Donal Vaughan, you cost your team the game with your stupidity
Kieran Donoghue must be laughing.
Poor auld Aidan O Shea misses out on another all Ireland medal. How many losers ones has he got now!
Stay with Kerry Star for another year and you could pick up winners medal.
Sickening
I’d like to dedicate the song Sonny by the Rubberbandits to all the Mayo fans.