Blown away with shock. Thought are with his family, especially his wife & children right now.
I'm coming to the conclusion that playing professional football is not a healthy life style at all.I’m the same, struggling to believe a guy who trained for the marathon this year has gone at aged 49.
I wonder the same thing every time a pro or former pro dies. Is it the physical stress of change after years in peak condition followed by 'letting themselves go', or the psychological stress of the game at the top level, as players and coaches? There must be some research somewhere. I rationalise my own laziness, telling my weight-training sons that too much exercise can be a bad thing, as I lie on the couch with a pale ale and a cigarette watching other people bust a gut on the football pitch.I'm coming to the conclusion that playing professional football is not a healthy life style at all.
Obviously they are much much fitter than the average person, but the stress they are under performing in front of 40k every week takes its toll I suspect. Plus 25 years of continual inflammation from cuts and bruises, to joints falling apart puts a strain on the body's cardiac systems as the immune system is continually triggered.
It would be interesting to see how life expectancy/heart issues compare for footballers to rugby players, athletes, tennis players etc as it seems every few months another famous ex-player young enough for many fans to have watched play, runs into difficulty.
49 is no age at all for this, as anyone older than that will tell you, but it seriously isn't especially for guys who relatively recently were praised to the sky for their vitality. RIP
If you are feeling well, then an ECG is a bit over the top.Everyone over 40 should be availing themselves of regular checks. By coincidence i'm due in this week to check mine. Not the plumbing but the electrics PQRST.
If your plumbing has issues you'll get warnings , and a good recovery. I carry aspirin just in case of plumbing problem but If the electrics go, theres no real warning unless your obsessed with heart function beforehand.
Everyone should learn CPR and to use an AED, and where your local AED is.