A literature review exploring the mental health issues in academy football players following career termination due to deselection or injury and how counselling could support future players

The aim of this literature review was to show the mental health impact to academy football players after career termination due to deselection or injury. The review will also broaden to look at research around career termination in other sports. The place where this type of support could be implemented is within football clubs, before, during and post‐deselection or career termination for injured players. Previous research on this subject has relied on player case studies and questionnaires, and this has been unable to provide any substitutional evidence that deselected players are been given appropriate support. This is fundamentally destructive for players considering the high percentage of them being released (99% being released before their scholarship and 85% afterwards). This review looks at the limited research that has been published over the last few years to gain a better understanding of how this serious issue is overlooked. It focuses on what support is currently available and provides evidence to show how professional associations such as the PFA (Professional Football Association) and the LFE (League Football Education) treat deselected football players. The findings indicate that while the Elite Player Performance Plan supports players through education and by funding better facilities for clubs, the model bypasses emotional and psychological support for players before, during and after deselection, leaving an opening for the introduction of counselling services to support the players through this transition.