Ex-Saints Legend retires aged just 29

[Hatch]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4197852/The-first-few-months-were-horrendous-culture-shock-in-England-was-just-terrible.html

 

VINCENT PERICARD suffers from depression and has quit football — aged just 29.

 

 

 

The former French under-21 striker suffered problems at Portsmouth and Stoke.

 

He was prescribed Prozac by his doctor and, during his spell under Tony Pulis, was imprisoned for lying in court over a driving conviction.

 

Signed by Harry Redknapp after a spell at Juventus, Pericard believes one cause of his depression was the fact he was completely unprepared for living in another country.

 

Now, he has retired from the game to develop a business which aims to help overseas players adjust here.

 

Many fans will struggle to have too much sympathy for a foreign star who arrives on £30,000-a-week.

 

Yet Pericard makes the point that if a 21-year-old Englishman moved abroad to work without being able to speak the language or having any awareness of the local culture, he too could end up a mess.

 

He said: "Football is part of the entertainment industry. If a player who has cost millions is not entertaining fans, no one is happy.

 

"For a player to perform at his best, he needs to be happy and so do his family. The first few months in England were horrendous.

 

"The culture shock was terrible and it affected me. My first touch during games was terrible. I remember Harry Redknapp saying 'that lad cannot play football'.

 

"When I read it in the paper, I thought, 'you're right, I'm terrible!' I then scored a goal and did better.

 

"But that first period can make or break you. Despite not speaking the language, I did everything on my own. I taught myself English.

 

"Yet I was left to my own devices and then suffered depression — particularly when I was out injured for 12 months. The doctor gave me Prozac — not something that I would recommend to anyone.

 

"I tried to stay strong. Other players drink, have lots of women or gamble for an adrenaline rush because they are not playing.

 

"I still think it makes more sense to buy overseas players as we are cheaper and have better quality than many English players.

 

"Sunderland signed Stephane Sessegnon but are at risk of losing him because his wife is not happy. I believe she has to be helped to integrate.

 

"When I was putting together this concept, there was the Suarez-Evra problem and it was being blamed by some on cultural differences.

 

"I am not condoning what Suarez did but he needed someone to tell him a few things on arrival and that you cannot use certain words.

 

"Little things make a big difference. Liverpool are now suffering with their image, their sponsors are not happy and it all goes back to that.

 

"Everyone thinks footballers are always happy as they earn a lot of money. But there is another side. It can be very hard."

 

Cameroon-born Pericard arrived in France aged four, starting his career with St Etienne.

 

He moved to Juventus and was then signed by Harry Redknapp on loan at Fratton Park.

 

The striker then spent three years at Stoke, the low point coming in 2007 when he was jailed for falsely claiming his stepfather was at the wheel when he was driving 103mph.

 

He said: "Playing at Stoke under Tony was different to being at Portsmouth with Harry. With Harry, you had plenty of five-a-sides but at Stoke, it was all about shape.

 

"My first training sessions at Stoke were a real shock. After a few games, the fans started booing me and I asked the manager to take me out of the team because I could not handle it.

 

"What I did in court was a stupid mistake and I was released by Stoke.

 

"I eventually went to Swindon and after getting released last year, struggled to get a club so I signed for Havant and Waterlooville.

 

"Playing at that level was a shock so it was time to do something else. I set up Elite Professional Management, hopefully I can ensure people do not make the same mistakes."

 

The key question is, who will pay for this service. Clubs or agents?

 

He said: "It will benefit clubs as they spend millions. It will benefit foreign agents who cannot look after their players in another country "This is welfare management. For players coming to England, you appoint a PA who speaks his language and helps him and the family.

 

"It was difficult to stop playing football at 29 — but this is now my passion and I want to help players settle in England."

[MrMojoRisin]

I'd be depressed too if I had played for Pompey

[Saint-scooby]

Bet he had loads of fun spending £120,000 a month "not inc his PAYE"

[KK the 2nd]

More of a leg end than a legend but good luck to him.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

That is actually a really sad story. What people seem to forget is that these are real people, with a lot of the same problems we deal with. Yes they get paid more, but it's lazy to think thatmoney solves these issues.

 

Good luck to the lad.

[Special K]

That is actually a really sad story. What people seem to forget is that these are real people, with a lot of the same problems we deal with. Yes they get paid more, but it's lazy to think thatmoney solves these issues.

 

Good luck to the lad.

 

No it's not. What a load of old pony. If he didn't like it here because it was so much of a "shock" (seems everything is a shock to him), he should have ****ed off back to Italy or France after finishing at Pompey. But he didn't. Why? Because he wanted the wonga. He was on a big wedge and could easily have done his time and gone back home with a few quid in the bank. The fact is he's one of those players who lost it and couldn't maintain any type of form or consistency.

[dubai_phil]

It is really hard to feel any sympathy for him, "cos he got all that money".

 

But what he says about Integration is really interesting - for a sport that needs total mental focus and has so much money sloshing around in it, it seems really strange that people expect new arrivals "to integrate automatically"

 

We should be interested in this sort of thing as we all want Tadanari to "integrate" quickly because we see his potential, but if the mental side off the field is not right then it gets very hard to switch on when you are on the field.

 

Think he has a good idea, setting up a professional operation as he has done. Think many clubs don't understand Psychology very well "You're a Bloke get on with it" attitude.

 

I also think Saints are already way ahead of the curve on this stuff & I believe we will notice this next season as well.

 

If it stops another Import opening his mouth and saying something stupid because he didn't understand "Brit Culture" then that is a job well done.

 

(Of course no greedy f\/cker in football is gonna want to part with any money for this! so he'll fail)

[Danbert]

That is actually a really sad story. What people seem to forget is that these are real people, with a lot of the same problems we deal with. Yes they get paid more, but it's lazy to think thatmoney solves these issues.

 

Good luck to the lad.

 

Nice post. Good to hear he's turned things around, and I wish him every success with his business - I'm sure there's a market for it.

[doddisalegend]

Another example of Harry's great management skills:lol:

 

"The culture shock was terrible and it affected me. My first touch during games was terrible. I remember Harry Redknapp saying 'that lad cannot play football'.

 

"When I read it in the paper, I thought, 'you're right, I'm terrible!' I then scored a goal and did better.

[Windmill Arm 2]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4197852/the-first-few-months-were-horrendous-culture-shock-in-england-was-just-terrible.html

 

vincent pericard suffers from depression and has quit football — aged just 29.

 

 

 

the former french under-21 striker suffered problems at portsmouth and stoke.

 

He was prescribed prozac by his doctor and, during his spell under tony pulis, was imprisoned for lying in court over a driving conviction.

 

Signed by harry redknapp after a spell at juventus, pericard believes one cause of his depression was the fact he was completely unprepared for living in another country.

 

Now, he has retired from the game to develop a business which aims to help overseas players adjust here.

 

Many fans will struggle to have too much sympathy for a foreign star who arrives on £30,000-a-week.

 

Yet pericard makes the point that if a 21-year-old englishman moved abroad to work without being able to speak the language or having any awareness of the local culture, he too could end up a mess.

 

He said: "football is part of the entertainment industry. If a player who has cost millions is not entertaining fans, no one is happy.

 

"for a player to perform at his best, he needs to be happy and so do his family. The first few months in england were horrendous.

 

"the culture shock was terrible and it affected me. My first touch during games was terrible. I remember harry redknapp saying 'that lad cannot play football'.

 

"when i read it in the paper, i thought, 'you're right, i'm terrible!' i then scored a goal and did better.

 

"but that first period can make or break you. Despite not speaking the language, i did everything on my own. I taught myself english.

 

"yet i was left to my own devices and then suffered depression — particularly when i was out injured for 12 months. The doctor gave me prozac — not something that i would recommend to anyone.

 

"i tried to stay strong. Other players drink, have lots of women or gamble for an adrenaline rush because they are not playing.

 

"i still think it makes more sense to buy overseas players as we are cheaper and have better quality than many english players.

 

"sunderland signed stephane sessegnon but are at risk of losing him because his wife is not happy. I believe she has to be helped to integrate.

 

"when i was putting together this concept, there was the suarez-evra problem and it was being blamed by some on cultural differences.

 

"i am not condoning what suarez did but he needed someone to tell him a few things on arrival and that you cannot use certain words.

 

"little things make a big difference. Liverpool are now suffering with their image, their sponsors are not happy and it all goes back to that.

 

"everyone thinks footballers are always happy as they earn a lot of money. But there is another side. It can be very hard."

 

cameroon-born pericard arrived in france aged four, starting his career with st etienne.

 

He moved to juventus and was then signed by harry redknapp on loan at fratton park.

 

The striker then spent three years at stoke, the low point coming in 2007 when he was jailed for falsely claiming his stepfather was at the wheel when he was driving 103mph.

 

He said: "playing at stoke under tony was different to being at portsmouth with harry. With harry, you had plenty of five-a-sides but at stoke, it was all about shape.

 

"my first training sessions at stoke were a real shock. After a few games, the fans started booing me and i asked the manager to take me out of the team because i could not handle it.

 

"what i did in court was a stupid mistake and i was released by stoke.

 

"i eventually went to swindon and after getting released last year, struggled to get a club so i signed for havant and waterlooville.

 

"playing at that level was a shock so it was time to do something else. I set up elite professional management, hopefully i can ensure people do not make the same mistakes."

 

the key question is, who will pay for this service. Clubs or agents?

 

He said: "it will benefit clubs as they spend millions. It will benefit foreign agents who cannot look after their players in another country "this is welfare management. For players coming to england, you appoint a pa who speaks his language and helps him and the family.

 

"it was difficult to stop playing football at 29 — but this is now my passion and i want to help players settle in england."

 

fecking legend

[dronskisaint]

Bagpuss and Pulis...imagine forming your opinions of English football on those two charmers. Mr 'man management' Redcrap is a ludicrous myth!

[Jonnyboy]

Hasn't Guly mentioned he found it quite hard to integrate into the culture at SFC?

[The9]

If he thinks that's bad he should try playing for a Russian club. Less money unless you're a megastar and a ton of racism on top, plus literally nowhere to hide off the pitch as, in some cases, the only black person for thousands of miles. And then there are the African players with potential who get shipped over to eastern European clubs in their teens as prospects for trials and just left there if it doesn't work out for them, as their agents no longer give a toss about them. At least Pericard got to play for a biit despite being a lot of shart and has something to fall back on.

 

If he's depressed, it's got nothing to do with football.

[The9]

Hasn't Guly mentioned he found it quite hard to integrate into the culture at SFC?

 

You'd expect it to be difficult for any foreigner who doesn't speak the language. Judging by Lee's interpreter we've got a handle on some of the issues, but who knows how far our integration processes go and how successful they are ?

 

I think this is one area where clubs can do SO much more generally. When you fork out millions for an asset and want it to perform as well as possible, you should be ensuring the optimum conditions for its performance on and off the field, which includes mental state as much as physical. No point having the body of a worldbeater if you don't feel like running because you can't get refried beans at the local supermarket and you can't understand anything on telly and no-one's sorting it out for you.

 

Having said that, anyone know what Saints do for integration (beyond making everyone sing a song..!)?

Edited 16 March, 2012 by The9

[Lets B Avenue]

Having said that, anyone know what Saints do for integration (beyond making everyone sing a song..!)?

 

Let the manager **** their wives.

 

Only joking.

[Badger]

Hasn't Guly mentioned he found it quite hard to integrate into the culture at SFC?

 

Yes, I think there was a comment along the lines that 'there were less players wanting to shake his hand' in the dressing room than he had been used to.Sounds daft but just a minor thing to our players that seemed a major one to an overseas player used to this custom.

 

Delgado on the other hand did have problems settling, again something to do with culture, or was that Strachan's yoghurt ?

[Badger]

I seem to remenber he had a successful spell at Carlisle and was hugely popular there, but at the drop of a hat walked out to join Swindon, presumably for more £££.So he walks out on a club who helped rescue his career, and having shown no loyalty there, he is bleating about depression. Difficult to feel sorry for him really, perhaps had he stayed where he might have been made to feel wanted rather than move at the first chance, he might have been happier.

[oracle saint]

anyone know what Saints do for integration

 

I vaguely recall several years ago the Club was advertising a TESL appointment (teaching English as a second language) with emphasis on assisting foreign players/Scholars integrate. Possibly under the Rupert régime?

[oracle saint]

anyone know what Saints do for integration

 

I vaguely recall several years ago the Club was advertising a TESL appointment (teaching English as a second language) with emphasis on assisting foreign players/Scholars integrate. Possibly under the Rupert régime?

[warsash saint]

Juventus to Havant & Waterlooville !! That is some drop.

[The9]

Juventus to Havant & Waterlooville !! That is some drop.

 

But I bet he was REALLY TALL as a 10-year old.