Manchester United are giving their players psychological support as they work from home, with FIFPro having announced the number of footballers reporting anxiety and depression symptoms has “sharply risen” in the past month.
Players across all teams and age groups have been training at home since government advice last month implemented social distancing, and special attention is being paid to the players' mental well-being.
The United Kingdom has been in lockdown for a month and while there is a commitment to complete the Premier League, a definitive date is yet to be agreed due to the circumstances surrounding Covid-19.
That uncertainty around the pandemic has led to increased anxiety amongst footballers, FIFPro, the national players’ union, has confirmed.
They surveyed 1,602 professional footballers and the number who were displaying symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of depression had doubled since their last survey in December, before the lockdown.
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The survey discovered 22 per cent of 468 female players and 13% of 1,134 male players reported symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of depression and that 18% of the women and 16% of men reported markers of generalised anxiety.
England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland were among 16 countries whose footballers were surveyed but there is no indication as to which teams the players represent.
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Goal understands United have been keeping a close eye on all players’ mental health during the lockdown, long before FIFPro's findings were released, with coaches and medical staff in regular contact with all players and diligently monitoring them from home.
The women’s team are given twice weekly well-being surveys to complete and they also have a buddy system between players and staff to help everyone feel connected.
United’s former psychologist Bill Beswick warned that due to the way footballers are managed there may be an increase in mental health issues during the lockdown period.
“It’s more dangerous for footballers than most sports. Most of the Olympic athletes I work with and the rugby players are very much self-management athletes,” Beswick told Goal. “They’re encouraged by their clubs to self-manage.
“So, they have that mindset and character to get on with it. Football players traditionally have been managed exclusively and told not to think.”
WhatsApp groups, Zoom sessions and video calls are allowing the coaching staff and players to stay connected and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stressed the importance of the players’ mental well-being when he spoke earlier this month.
“The biggest thing for me is that we're mentally coping and doing the right things,” the United manager said. And his staff have ensured the right measures are in place to enable that to happen.