{"id":296747,"date":"2023-11-09T17:25:56","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T17:25:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=296747"},"modified":"2023-11-09T17:25:56","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T17:25:56","slug":"burnley-grant-lyle-foster-leave-to-look-after-his-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/soccer\/burnley-grant-lyle-foster-leave-to-look-after-his-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Burnley grant\u00a0Lyle Foster leave to look after his mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"
Burnley have given striker Lyle Foster an extended leave of absence to look after his mental health.<\/p>\n
The 23-year-old, who is the club\u2019s top scorer this season, has missed their last three Premier League games and is visiting specialists to overcome his illness.<\/p>\n
Foster signed for the Clarets in January from Belgian side Westerlo and has impressed despite Burnley\u2019s tough return to the top flight.<\/p>\n
The South Africa international has said he has dealt with depression and anxiety in the past.<\/p>\n
\u2018Recently, Lyle let us know that he continues to live with issues around his mental well-being and has reached out for help,\u2019 a Burnley statement read.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Burnley have given\u00a0Lyle Foster an extended leave of absence to look after his mental health<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Foster is Burnley’s top scorer this season and has impressed despite their tough start<\/p>\n
Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n
\u2018He is currently in the care of specialists \u2013 giving him the support and care he needs to help him back to full health.<\/p>\n
\u2018With the love and support of his family and everyone at Burnley, we will do all we can to provide everything he needs to get better.<\/p>\n
\u2018We ask for your understanding and request Lyle\u2019s privacy around this matter and will not be making any more comment until further notice.\u2019<\/p>\n
Foster opened up on depression in an interview with a radio station in South Africa earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
\u2018I was in Belgium and I went back for pre-season and I just wasn\u2019t feeling okay,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
\u2018Some things started to creep in and I realised it was spiralling downward. I had severe depression and anxiety at the time and it was very difficult to cope with where I was in terms of performing and focusing on my reality.<\/p>\n
\u2018I was in my apartment all by myself. I just realised I just felt this huge sense of loneliness.<\/p>\n
\u2018I felt like I couldn\u2019t really express myself with all of my teammates, it was a lot more difficult to be around them and do things footballers are supposed to do.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The South Africa striker earlier this year opened up on depression during his time at\u00a0Westerlo\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018I just used to try and go to training, play games and honestly the best thing to do at that time of my life was to go back home and sleep. There was no real excitement or looking forward to anything.<\/p>\n
\u2018That\u2019s when I realised I\u2019m in some trouble and I panicked a little bit. I didn\u2019t know what was going on or how to deal with it because it was the first time I was in a position like that.\u2019<\/p>\n
Foster added: \u2018I couldn\u2019t be bothered to do things that I enjoyed. I didn\u2019t enjoy them because of the thoughts I was having and the voices, which was really difficult to deal with.<\/p>\n
\u2018It was difficult to get up and go and train, difficult to do anything really.<\/p>\n
\u2018I spoke to my parents and my agent as well, I told them I don\u2019t feel good and I don\u2019t feel strong or powerful. I opened up to them but I was just clouded by the darkness. It was a super difficult period.<\/p>\n
\u2018I had the support of my old club Westerlo who really went out on a limb to help me. But I\u2019m in the light now, I see the light.\u2019<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n