Ryan Sidebottom: Ex-England bowler on psychological well being struggles in transition to retirement

Ryan Sidebottom

[ad_1]

Ryan Sidebottom won three County Championship titles with Yorkshire and two with Nottinghamshire

Former England bowler Ryan Sidebottom has told the BBC about the mental health problems he has suffered since the end of his playing career.

But the 44-year-old became one of many athletes who have struggled to make the transition to retirement.

“I had days where there was massive self-sabotage,” he said. “I would dwell on the past, worry about the future.”

Sidebottom took more than 1,000 wickets in all competitions, won the County Championship five times and was part of England’s T20 World Cup winning team in 2010.

But after retiring, the ex-Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire left-armer told the Sports Desk podcast that he felt “a huge void” without the schedule, direction and regular income that his cricket career provided.

“I’d worry about my children, money,” he said. “How am I going to pay the mortgage? How am I going to house my wife, my children? What’s my next step in life?

“And I’d have…

[ad_2]