Bravo to Jonathan Trott for facing his demons

Apology due?

Well said B1. Pleased that someone who has been there is expressing an opinion here. I have never played sport at that level and can only image the hard work, sacrifice, disappointments, the struggle to get to the top. There must be a lot that you sacrifice personally that most of us can never truly understand. I for one say good on you Trott for being brave and not only thinking of yourself, but also your family and your team. He could have continued but at what cost..

Your name calling and Im the ignorant one? I find your post offensive and here's why. Unlike most roarers and most likely yourself, Ive actually played sport at an elite level, I rode Speedway in Europe before repeated injuries ruined my career, and when I say injuries,Im talking real ones, in one crash I snapped my humerous bone in half, broke two ribs, shattered my shoulder blade and dislocated my collarbone, two months in traction that got me. When I returned to my team despite promises from team management, there was no spot for me, I watched other people ride for four months, with no pay, no offers from rival clubs and knew in all likelihood due to work permit restrictions I would not be allowed to ride professionally ever again. This was the hardest time in my life and I suffered extreme pain and depression, so unlike your enlightened self, I am uniquely aware of the pressures faced. who's ignorant Jimmyb?

Brendon, I'm not sure that anyone's making a hero out of him, more just defending jim against ignorant poster's. You're second sentence is bang on. I'll happily stop responding to ignorant comments on the subject, when the ignorant comments stop. Roll on Adelaide!

Whilst I feel fro Trott, he's obviously battling some pretty severe demons, I'm not sure making a hero out of him is going to help the guy. Might be time to leave him alone......Good luck, get well, now let's get on with the cricket.

Do you think it's remotely feasible for someone to have a Trott-type malaise, and to recover sufficiently to resume their test career? I would think it unlikely, even without knowing the details of his case, because the added stress of knowing that everyone knows of a historic weakness would require superhuman qualities to resist. And should one expect opponents to refrain from making direct or indirect use of their knowledge? Wouldn't that be like finding out that a player can't play spin, and highmindedly electing not to exploit that weakness? The question was of course hypothetical, but in the specific case of Trott, who has apparently not been on medication for his problem, perhaps meds can help provide a sufficient cushion to allow him to return. All ignorant supposition of course.

The English management must have thought he was good to go otherwise they would not have picked him, not for his benefit but for there own. If a batsmen doesn't have his head in the game then he's not going to be effective, that's pretty much all 'form' is. Ben Tune and Clyde Rathbone both managed there depression reasonably well and covertly until they stopped playing professional sport.

I'm actually impressed by the attitude of most though, I thought there would be much more rubbish talk. Though well done on calling them out JB.

Because it's more about moralising, grandstanding and posturing than anything else.

There has also been plenty if not an overwhelming amount, of understanding and sympathy/empathy. Why are people concentrating on a minority?

I'm stressed. Don't question me.

Mike, you and your English mate are both massive industrial grade tools.

Of course, you're assuming that he has a mental illness. The use of the broad term "stress-related illness" smacked of weasel words. The subsequent attempt to blame David Warner, a man so evil that he uses his incredible powers of time travel and mind-reading to harass Trott instead of saving the world from climate change, smacked of cynical desperation. Regardless of whether Trott truly has a mental health condition, the episode plumbed new depths in bad sportsmanship. On top of that is the mindless drivel of the self-righteous mob regarding Warner being disrespectful is a new low in confected outrage. Since when is stating that an opponent is “poor”, “weak” and has “scared eyes” been cause for criticism? If anything I’m disappointed at Warner’s inability to convey a concept in effective, well-constructed English terminology. The way some people are going on I don't think many would survive a day in a kindergarten playground without bursting into tears. To paraphrase Theodore Dalrymple, a man, now retired, who is one of Britain's pre-eminent psychiatrists and writers: most people who claim to have depression aren't depressed at all; they're simply unhappy with the choices that they've made or, what they perceive as, their lot in life. In other words, it's dangerous to instantly assume a person claiming mental illness, actually has a mental illness. The propensity to do so is what actually trivialises the issue and creates alot of problems for the "sufferer" and, importantly, those around them. And, in fact, to tell someone to harden up, i.e learn to deal with the problem, is sometimes the best therapy. Does Trott have clinically diagnosed anxiety and/or depression? We still don't know. If he does, then why doesn't the English team just say so? They obviously want people to think that he does. And there's the trick: they're trying to get the general public to believe something as a fact without actually stating the fact, thereby keeping open a path of retreat. If he does, then why is he on the tour? Why subject him to a grueling schedule? So, I'm not dismissing mental health issues, particularly having suffered from a minor bout myself about 20 years ago, and having friends and family who've also dealt with it. I'm dismissing the trivialisation of it - the instant assumption that anyone who claims to have it, does have it. We are moving into the dangerous realm where personal responsibility is instantly presumed subordinate to mental health disorder and that every single mental health disorder is completely beyond the control of the sufferer. It's not a black and white issue. The idea that those who claim to be suffering disorders are beyond reproach is preposterous and anti-scientific. I find it ridiculous to be lectured with puerile statements like "get an education", by people who clearly have zero ability to be sceptical of the orthodoxy of victimhood ideology being fed to them. Just a quick anecdote: I was having a beer at a pub in London last night and an English mate who I've locked horns with over cricket many a time said to me "It's a crock. The whole thing. We weren't born yesterday. There's not a single person who knows about cricket who also thinks the [English] team's not making excuses.".

It really hasn't taken long for the tools to come out and have their say has it. It's a crock, he's weak willed, the guys a chicken etc. Good onya lads, you do yourselves and your country proud!

Poor guy chickened out.poor poor

That's right Bush. May well lead one to question the veracity of what we've been told. I actually don't believe they would do it for a second. An Ashes on Aussie soil and you knowingly bring a mentally fragile top order batsman? And this is where the debate gets muddied between a) the affects of mental illness etc etc and deriding Trott for succumbing to it, which I don't believe is the case at all, and b) spin from English management. He was either fit to play or he wasn't and as you point out, they have an army of handlers to ensure his overall fitness. Or, Mitch really did just do his head in and that's something they would never ever admit to.

Sage, I asked this exact question on one of the first threads about this issue. It boggles the mind that a professional outfit like the English Cricket Team, with their army of doctors, managers, agents etc let this poor bloke go one tour in this condition. It is even more mind boggling when you think about the fact that this team has a significant history of players suffering these conditions...

Ah Just wondered as it reminded me a bit of big old Merv letting fly. It was interesting the match referee and umps overlooked it. Probably fatigued by the whole carry on.

It was a good spray from Siddle wasn't it. It was to young Jimmy Anderson and along the lines of "show some f---en respect". I dare say they'd been getting a bit on how hopeless they had been - last 3 Ashes, batting collapses, Mitchell Johnson being shite etc. etc; so such a crushing win caused a little over exuberance. Rules against sledging? Only if you get caught on the stump cam Father, only if you get caught.