Collymore: Help us cope
Stan Collymore, who admitted that he visited "dogging" sites to have sex with strangers, claimed today that footballers are not helped enough to deal with the pressure of fame.
Collymore said "I don't think there is a great support network in football in general. You are bought, you are thrown into the limelight and there is no guidebook that says this is how to deal with being a famous professional footballer, a celebrity or whatever.
"Clubs should be aware that their employees are human beings with human frailties. You are going to have your top-class pros and you are going to have players who have issues and problems.
"People have to realise that for the likes of Paul Merson or Tony Adams, it's a case of when you hit rock bottom you have to do something to get a quick fix and elevate your mood. But time and time again players are elevated into a situation they have no knowledge of how to handle. Look at Wayne Rooney and the exposure he's been subjected to.
"Not everyone is a Michael Owen that takes everything in their stride.
"When these young players join clubs, yes they are assets, yes get the best out of them as players, but also do something with them as people as well to help them along their way."
