13 July 2023 , 17:07
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Former England defender Gary Neville has said it was "not unusual" to be offered sleeping tablets during his playing career amid Dele Alli's addiction comments.
Dele, who has returned to parent club Everton after a loan spell with Besiktas, spoke about his own sleeping pill addiction during an interview with his compatriot. The 27-year-old said the issue is "going around more than people realise in football," after admitting it impacted him during his time in Turkey.
It is not simply a 2023 issue, though, according to Neville. The pundit and broadcaster, who played 85 times for England in his own career, shed light on his own experiences when speaking to the former Tottenham star.
"When I was a player, sleeping pills are not unusual in football," Neville said on The Overlap. "You'd be offered one the night before the game, always, because a player might not sleep because of the build-up and the adrenaline, and also sometimes after a game.
"When you say it's more widespread in the game, are you talking about players taking them every night?" he asked Dele. "Are you talking about players potentially [taking] multiple tablets at once... what levels were you at with them?"
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"I was taking a lot," the former MK Dons talent said. "I don't want to talk about numbers but it was definitely way too much."
Dele opened up on his own sleeping pill use (The Overlap)Dele admitted he spent six weeks in rehab for his addiction. ‘"When I came back from Turkey I found out I needed an operation, I was in a bad place mentally. I decided to go to a modern day rehab facility for mental health," he said.
"They deal with addiction, mental health and trauma. I felt like it was time for me, with things like that you can’t be told to go there, you have to know and make the decision yourself or it’s not going to work.
He thanked Everton, saying the club supported him "100 per cent". "‘Going into rehab sounds scary, but I could never have imagined how much I’d get from it and how much it would help me mentally because I was in a bad place."
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The Professional Footballers' Association has also put out a statement addressing the prevalence of sleeping pills in football. "We regularly support members who come to us for support having developed addictive behaviours or dependencies, including reliance on medication such as painkillers and sleeping tablets," PFA director of player wellbeing Michael Bennett said, per The Times.
"Sleeping tablet use is an issue we are aware of and one we monitor and report back on in our work with the football authorities. We know there are many reasons why a player may begin to use sleeping tablets.
"It is common for players to struggle to sleep after night games as they find that it often takes time, both mentally and physically, to ‘come down'," Bennett continued. Players were urged to speak confidentially with the PFA if they "are concerned that they may have developed a dependency".
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected]_ or visit their site to find your local branch