Chris Kirkland criticises Sky Sports News over a topic of debate on their programme which is deemed ‘hanging people out to dry’.
The 41 year old, a coach and former professional goalkeeper who made 321 league and cup appearances in an 18-year career from 1998 to 2016, and won one cap for the English national team in 2006, was rather dismayed at the subject that Sky wanted it’s viewers to get contact with with their ‘favourite goalkeeping howlers’.
The ex-Coventry, Liverpool, West Brom, Wigan, Leicester, Doncaster, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston, Bury keeper, wrote: “Favourite goalkeeping howler Wow!! What a world we live in highlighting Others misfortune and mistakes, I know it’s part and parcel but people can’t wait to jump on certain things and hang people out to dry and I’d be saying exactly the same for outfield mistakes.”
He added: “The reason I tweeted this is about more than football, these shows preach about #mentalhealth and certain causes, well how does this affect certain players Mental health when showing clips making “HOWLERS” also aspiring footballers how does this give them confidence #GMSF”
The reason I tweeted this is about more than football,these shows preach about #mentalhealth and certain causes ,well how does this affect certain players Mental health when showing clips making “HOWLERS” also aspiring footballers how does this give them confidence #GMSF https://t.co/2LQ24vKkxF
— Chris Kirkland (@ChrisKirkland43) February 22, 2023
This is how other Twitter users responded as Chris Kirkland slams Sky Sports News over a topic of debate where they were practically ‘hanging people out to dry’…
@jethren_: The tough life of a goalkeeper , shocking indeed 😒
@stuartwallace1: That’s sky for you – they took the pi#s when they had the ticking clock when Bury and Bolton were going to the wall – one of the reasons why I binned them completely – you should do the same if you have Sky and feel like that
@jpearce05: 100% Chris. It’s a mad world we live in. Can’t wait to put you down can they.
@Vonnie588: My son is 10 & a goalie. I show him clips of professional keepers making mistakes, but only to prove even the best players make mistakes. He’s so hard on himself whenever he concedes a goal. It’s such a tough position.
@garytrfc: Goalkeeper “howler” whilst all strikers are “unlucky”. It’ll never change sadly. As a youth coach at U6 it was so hard to get anyone to go in goal…not surprised. My lad did in the end, still in goal at 18..loves it, made him strong in life…but some difficult moments too.
@damobrfc1875: I grew up in the VHS days of Danny Baker’s own goals & gaffes, and Nick Hancock’s football nightmares! Highlight of Xmas day watching them! In those days it was comedy; now you suggest it’s bullying! What a world we currently live in!
@chrisirwin5: Good point, better stop talking about ref mistakes, strikers missing chances, defenders mistiming tackles and midfielders misplacing passes as well. Or… maybe realise that mistakes are part of the game and stuff like this drives interest which leads to players being paid so well
@JoeDavis6: Agree Chris. Ridiculing players for mistakes is hardly an inspiring message for those dreaming of becoming a footballer one day.
@crooksy1978: 10 outfield can get away with errors mistakes etc but GK is the harshest of environments to make errors. It’s high pressure and as ever pundits and outfield coaches seldom have ANY clue
@_harrymcbeth: What even is the point in Sky Sports News now. In the twitter age it is so redundant.
@WrightyCOYI: So up and coming goalkeepers are supposed to just watch keepers make saves? It’s refreshing to see professional goalkeepers making mistakes and it shows it can happen to the very best. We laugh at forwards missing open goals so why can’t we laugh at a goalkeeper making a mistake?
@MikeLUHG2: So what you are saying is you want a world where footballers are praised to oblivion for any good thing they do, but get no criticism or accountability for things they do wrong? If you have a problem with criticism, you should have an equal problem with praise. Hope this helps
@RobHiggs12: @SkySports Outfield players make so many more mistakes. Where is their execution? #GKUnion Players who’ve played know us GKs have the hardest & most important role
@BlahBlahBlah__9: Howay Chris have a day off ffs, I’ve suffered depression since I was about 5 or 6 years old, I’m now 33, if someone belittles a mistake or performance you make, you can help it by playing better, they’re not mocking his/her appearance or a disability which they can’t help.
@JaegerPhil: Spot on Chris. I also hate seeing ex players who should know better singling players out for OTT criticism, picking holes in every aspect of their performance, suggesting they dont care or lack x, y and z. Short memories and I bet those same players wouldn’t have welcomed it.
@MaccaCoaching: Shocking from sky sports this but it’s easily turned into a positive, any parents with young children aspiring to be GK’s, show them every clip and empathise how often mistakes happen even at the top level among the elite. Mistakes are part of the learning process! 💪🏼⚽️
@ChrisBRFCcarr: Aren’t @SkySports meant to be Mental Health Advocates @ChrisKirkland43? Seem to be doing a lot recently that would or should state otherwise.
@thesecretwhite: Sky going down hill
@1999Yates: Chris, I absolutely agree. We all make mistakes and rue them, but to be highlighted doesn’t help. I’ve made some crackers when I was teaching, but no one to record them, and the next lesson was great.
@fittall1987: It’s strange to have that kind of segment on a show but, for balance, I must have seen the Rosenthal miss or David Dunn falling over trying the rabona 50+ times without ever searching for either
@glove_gloves: Really poor this from @SkySportsNews – never seen a favourite missed open goal or a favourite misplaced pass segment on the show…
Kirkland spoke out about the moment he stood on the roof of Bury’s pre-season base, Portugal, on the 4th July 2016.
His addiction led to him having hallucinations, hyperventilate, and worsening his anxiety. He was only one step away from ending his life.
Kirkland said that it was his wife Leeona and Lucy, 15 years old, who stopped him.
He said: ‘I was going to jump but I felt (Kirkland’s wife) Leeona and (daughter) Lucy pulling me back from afar.’
Kirkland battled with addiction for many years and spoke about his struggles after a recent incident that he called the most ‘horrendous’ experience in his life.
He also stated that he has had many problems with painkillers in football.
He released a statement after an incident at Bury, saying that he needed “time and space” away from the game.
These problems continued to February of this year when the 41-year old claimed he ordered painkillers from India over the internet. He didn’t know what they contained and didn’t even know who he was two minutes after taking them.
He said: ‘It was the most horrendous experience I’ve ever had in my life. I was violently ill, went to bed and next morning I went out to the car and tipped them all down the drain.
‘I thought “you’ve got to get off these or you’re going to kill yourself”.’
Kirkland was admitted to Parkland Place rehabilitation centre in Wales, underwent detox, which he described at the time as the worst week of his life, as Leeona tried to stop him from being tempted to take tablets.
Since a Liverpool training session, where a teammate leapt over him, the goalkeeper has had back problems.
He began experiencing pain in his back during the 2009-10 campaign at Wigan. By his second season at Sheffield Wednesday 2013, he claimed he was using painkillers daily.
Kirkland was taking 2,500 mgs of Tramadol per day at Sheffield Wednesday. This is way more than the recommended daily dose of 400mg.
I’m Chris Kirkland I’ve been addicted to Painkillers for 10 years ,big thanks to @henrywinter for doing this article hope it helps ,click on the link https://t.co/M6YFr6JA2D @walkingsbrill and thanks to all my friends and family who are getting me through it especially my Wife Xx pic.twitter.com/KHxbdzHqAv
— Chris Kirkland (@ChrisKirkland43) July 21, 2022
“I just did not want to live.”
“I’d had enough… I was stood on the roof and I was going to jump.”
“To stay in recovery you need the truth out there, you must be honest.”@ChrisKirkland43 bravely opens up about his painkiller addiction battle and his thoughts about suicide 🙏 pic.twitter.com/y3jbGCIhQL
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) July 21, 2022
In a video on his Twitter page, he said: ‘I was on painkillers for eight-and-a-half of those ten years, ended up in rehab. This is the real reason.
‘It’s been a horrendous time for me but also the girls. Leeona and Lucy they’ve had their husband and their dad but I’ve not been there, they’ve messed me up completely.
‘I feel fantastic as we stand. I went cold turkey and got off them five months ago. Leeona was incredible she was checking on me on every night. Any story you hear about cold turkey it’s true, it was a horrendous week but she was an absolute diamond.
‘This is the third time I’ve got off them and hopefully I’ll stay off them. I’ve got things set up now which I should have set up second time. Telling friends, telling people, I feel like a fraud at times as I didn’t tell the truth.
‘Obviously it’s affected my mental health massively and need it out there. I’m sure it will resonate with some people unfortunately.
‘If there’s anything I can do to help, you can do it, but you can’t do it on your own you need to ask for help.’
He adds to The Times that other footballers have got in contact with him and admitted they are on painkillers.
He also says players receive in-house testing in order to stop them ordering painkillers from outside the club, just like he did.
He said: ‘There will still be players that won’t come out and say anything because they might be scared of the repercussions. There are players that are on appearance bonuses, and if they don’t play they don’t get paid — not so much at the top level but League One, League Two. People have mortgages to pay.
‘For me, painkillers should be just completely stripped away at clubs. Is it realistic? If not then there needs to be measures in place that if someone’s asking for them regularly, that’s when clubs have to say ‘have you got a problem?’
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