“The worst thing about lower league football” – Bradford’s Jamie Walker speaks openly on suffering from mental health challenges.
Out of a deal next summer, Jamie Walker explains why he recently opened up about his mental health challenges with contract discussions and reiterated his desire to stay at the League Two club.
Here he is speaking in a clip uploaded by BBC Sport West Yorkshire, with a further interview to the Athletic and the Telegraph & Argus further down in the article…
“It’s probably the worst thing about lower league football.”
Out of a deal next summer, Jamie Walker explains why he recently opened up about his mental health challenges with contract discussions and reiterated his desire to stay at Bradford City. #BCAFC | #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/1rbCgm8FnA
— BBC Sport West Yorkshire (@BBCWYS) November 22, 2024
He said: “I think there’s no getting away. Everything I’ve spoken to you guys. I’ve made it clear. I enjoy, my football here, especially when we’re we’re we’re playing well when I’m playing well. So, obviously, I’m here until then this season contractually.
“And, you know, I’d be happy to to to to look at, extending that. But, you know, I think we need to, look at the performance on the pitch, try and get that right first. Make sure that it’s down to me that the club say, look, we need to give them a new contract and give them the option on that.
“So that’s what I’m looking to do. And, obviously, I’m playing playing regularly and jury free, and, you know, hopefully, I can put them on performances like last night.”
Interviewer: “We learned last night that it’s potentially that the stands on contract talks may be changing from this season, and those discussions may take place now from from January onwards, which is a change from at the end of the season in recent years.
“I read what you had to say in your recent Athletic article about you’re speaking very openly about your mental health and the challenges that have come with that as a professional footballer.
“Have you felt coping with that unknown, that that possibility of not knowing what next season may hold?”
Walker replied: “It’s probably the worst thing about, League Two, League One, lower league football, just that unknown.
“But on the other hand, it’s part and parcel in the the job that we have.
“So I was trying to adapt and cope as much as I can.
“I think I’d rather be in the position maybe come January when the window shuts or February that I know, what’s coming at the end of the season.
“I get the club’s stance on it.
You know, it’s not easy. There might be somebody who’s 50/50 or somebody they’re not.
“Maybe got in the plans, but they still need them for that season.
“So, you know, it’s tough as a player, but it’s tough being in the club’s position as well.
“So, I respect that the way that they do it and, you know, I’m just looking forward to see what happens here.”
The Athletic spent October talking to footballers from across the men’s and women’s pyramids about, as Bradford’s Jamie Walker puts it, “what people don’t see in football”.
This topic sees what is the life of a footballer outside the Premier League in 2024, what are their fears and anxieties, how do they build their lives and families amid changing clubs and a physically demanding career, and factoring in finances, families, social media and mental health.,
Jamie Walker thinks his son Jace, now age 9, had “five, six nurseries” prior to starting school as his father’s career took him from various clubs, which has seen him lived in asmany as four houses in his three years at Bradford.
“I’ve looked into buying a couple of times, but I’m still only 31, so if I never got a new contract, we’d need to move again,” he says.
“It’s quite tough to set roots anywhere. It’s a big part of what people don’t see in football, especially at League One, League Two, where you’re not getting paid as much as the lads at the top and they’ve got people to do stuff for them.”
Jamie Walker says his younger self had “a bit of attitude” and would “write back to fans” but he’s since deleted his Twitter account.
“Just because of some of the nonsense on it,” he says. “I don’t mind people criticising me and having an opinion on football — I choose to do football and it’s just part of the game — but when people write stuff that’s not really got any perspective, that’s when I sometimes get a bit annoyed.”
“I don’t know how to say it, but most of my friends outside football probably look at it in a different light now,” Jamie Walker continues. “If you asked someone, they’d think it was the best job in the world. Everything’s rosy, every single day, you get paid well and that’s it. My friends have seen the stuff that I went through. They know that football’s not all it’s made out to be sometimes. There can be tough times along the way.”
On his current club, he said, per T&A: “I knew Bradford was a big football club but when I came I really realised how passionate the fans were and how big the expectation was.
“I came here to get some games but maybe after two or three months, when Mark Hughes came in, I was really enjoying my football and was happy when the offer came to stay.
“At the end of that season we weren’t really playing for anything. But in our heads at that time it was Mark Hughes’ first season and the expectations were something I wanted to be part of.
“The most important thing was where I was in my career. I wasn’t playing back home, I wasn’t really enjoying it, to be honest.
“I came here and really enjoyed my loan spell so that was probably the biggest factor at play in making me stay.
“I enjoy my football here, especially when we’re playing well and I’m playing well.
“I’m here until the end of the season contractually and I’d be happy to look at extending that but I think we need to try and get performances right on the pitch first.
“It’s down to me to make sure the club say they have to give me a new contract. It’s what I’m looking to do.
“It’s probably the worst thing about lower-league football, that unknown. But on the other hand, it’s part and parcel of the job we have.
“I’m trying to cope as much as I can. I’d rather be in the position come January or February that I know what’s coming at the end of the season.
“But I understand the club’s stance on it, it’s not easy. There might be somebody who’s 50-50 or they’re not in the plans but they need them for the rest of the season.
“It’s tough as a player but it’s tough being in the club’s position as well.”
Walker on mental health issues within football: “There’s not really a right or wrong way of dealing with it,” he admitted. “You just need to look at the positives.
“The most important thing for me is to be right in my mind and perform well on the pitch, then the rest takes care of itself.
“Sometimes you sit at night or talk with your partner about what if this or that happens. But you can’t really control those situations.
“You need to control what’s in our hands, what you can actually impact and that’s playing well for Bradford City.
“There’ll always be worries, that’s part of life, and you just need to cope with them as best you can.
“Hearts will always be my club, I supported them since I was a kid and I played a lot of games there.
“But Bradford are closely behind there. I’ve moved my family, I’ve moved my life and no matter what happens come the end of the season I’ve spoken openly with my partner about maybe staying here after.
“Hopefully it’s not coming to an end any time soon.”
Fans reacted after Bradford’s Jamie Walker speaks on mental health challenges…
@ArthurGuitar: City need to extend Jamie’s contract asap. Great player, gives his all and makes things happen.
@LowerLeagueLook: From someone who witnessed what the club does directly to players and their families when it comes to contracts, it’s an absolute disgrace. I know it’s not just the one club, but that’s my club and I still to this day am utterly ashamed the amount of times I asked “have you heard anything” to simply hear “not a word, I don’t know anything”. It’s not fair and it shouldn’t be allowed to happen. These people have partners, kids who school in the area etc. Clubs should be forced to explain the options earlier, “if we’re promoted, this is the situation”, “if we stay in this league, this is the situation”, so that players can plan. It’s simply not right.
@Bloxwichbrummie: Generous and humble considering the concerns that hang over him, hats off from a Walsall fan.
@Daniel4214: We need more Jamie Walker’s in the team….gives everything and you cant ask for more than that!
@chellpaul: Walker epitomises what city are all about. He’s talked about as one of our best players but in reality he doesn’t get in the first 11 of clubs who are serious about winning promotion. In essence that’s why we continue to underachieve
You must be logged in to post a comment Login