Steven Caulker: The Dark Side Of Football & Retirement

In this emotional episode of This Sporting Planet, host Natalie Sawyer (UK) sits down with former Premier League defender Steven Caulker just weeks after he announced his retirement from professional football ⚽️

While retirement brings freedom—skiing, eating what you want, and slow jogs—it also removes the structure that athletes rely on. Steven opens up bravely about his past battles with gambling addiction, alcohol, and depression, revealing the "backlash" he faced from clubs when he first spoke out about his mental health years ago ?

He discusses:

The Relief: Why retirement feels 90% mental and only 10% physical.

The Struggle: Why he entered rehab at age 19 and 24, and the suicidal thoughts he battled.

The Stigma: How being honest about his mental health left him without a club for six months.

Global Perspective: How playing in Turkey gave him a fresh start free of judgment.

The Future: His thoughts on Liam Rosenior at Chelsea, Thomas Frank at Spurs, and his own management ambitions.

This is a raw, honest look at what happens when the cheering stops.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of depression, addiction, and suicidal thoughts.

00:00 - Intro
01:32 - What the initial period after retirement has been like
04:03 - The freedom of retirement (Food & Running)
05:53 - Skiing & things footballers aren't allowed to do
07:32 - Planning for life after football
10:49 - Why do athletes struggle post-retirement?
14:08 - Steven’s battle with gambling & alcohol
16:58 - Is football doing enough for mental health?
19:43 - The "Backlash": Being rejected by clubs for speaking out
23:16 - The Brentford Model & asking for help
25:55 - Letting go of results & playing in Turkey
29:37 - Liam Rosenior at Chelsea & Thomas Frank at Spurs
31:52 - Steven’s future in management (2026?)