‘Social media is annoying’: mental health unites Sean Dyche and Hong Kong football bosses
Ex-Everton manager and local coaches agree that football must balance protecting players with building resilience
A group of Hong Kong football managers had a “beautiful” 1½-hour conversation with former Burnley and Everton boss Sean Dyche last week.
And while the English Premier League jobs undertaken by Dyche would appear worlds apart from bossing local clubs, the men have all tried to walk the line between shielding players from pressure and instilling the mental robustness needed to reach the top.
Eastern boss Roberto Losada, who played in Spain’s La Liga more than 100 times, said elite players “need their brains in a position where they can extract themselves from negative comments”.
“Mental health is super-important … luckily, pressure [in Hong Kong football] is not that high, but players still have to manage [fans and media] talking about them, which is extra pressure for a person,” Losada said.
“I try to take most of the pressure from them. We give them the path, but they have to work hard for opportunities and find their own way. Not everyone is going to like you … and it’s not nice to hear people say bad things about you – but it’s part of [being a footballer].”
The Spaniard’s views replicated those of Dyche, who said mental health support had been enhanced since his playing career, when there was less “depth and awareness” around the topic.