Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterFour Four TwoGet the FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.You are now subscribedYour newsletter sign-up was successfulWant to add more newsletters?Five times a weekFourFourTwo DailyFantastic football content straight to your inbox! From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more.Signup +Once a week...And its LIVE!Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off!Signup +Join the clubGet full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in.Subscribe to our newsletterFormer Newcastle United and Watford defender Daryl Janmaat has revealed his cocaine addiction in a heartbreaking confession.Janmaat, 36, played for Newcastle 71 times in the Premier League before joining Watford in 2016. The former ADO Den Haag and Heerenveen right-back concluded his playing career back in The Hague and that, he says, is where his problems began.In an interview with AD, Janmaat explained the brutal consequences of his addiction, which stemmed from the significant changes experienced by a player in retirement, not least when injury brings about a premature end. You may like 'You've overdosed a gazillion times and you should be dead' EFL striker opens up on addiction battle I was the bad guy' Newcastle United man cites abnormal help as key reason for Chelsea bounceback Jonjo Shelvey reveals lasting ill-feeling towards key Newcastle United figure after Eddie Howe exchange Janmaats problems only started after retirementI can't and don't want to go into all the details, but my cocaine addiction has caused a lot of damage, Janmaat told AD.I was supposed to get help from everyone and everything, but I was left to fend for myself. It was nothing. Suddenly, I lost the structure I'd had for years as a footballer.A post shared by AD Sportwereld (@adsportwereld)A photo posted by on The problems only started after I retired. As a player, everything is manageable: you go from training to training. From match to match.When all that disappeared and I felt completely out of place as technical manager at ADO, things went wrong. Very much so.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Footballers and sportspeople in general commonly struggle with the end of their playing days, experiencing a multitude of issues often relating to a loss of routine or a significant shift in the availability of support.Coupled with addiction, the effects can be devastating. Janmaat told AD that his cocaine dependence has exacerbated problems in his marriage and that he and his wife have separated.The former Netherlands international gave an honest assessment of the impact of drugs on his health, revealing that a deep, very deep addiction had taken hold. You may like 'You've overdosed a gazillion times and you should be dead' EFL striker opens up on addiction battle I was the bad guy' Newcastle United man cites abnormal help as key reason for Chelsea bounceback Jonjo Shelvey reveals lasting ill-feeling towards key Newcastle United figure after Eddie Howe exchange There were times when I was really, really bad, let's just say that, said Janmaat.I had everything as a player, and I still do, actually. But a lot has happened in the meantime. Too much.Addiction is truly a battle, where you're at your wits' end. Literally. You're in a struggle; it really destroys a lot.Janmaat has clearly paid a serious price for his addiction but appears to be in a better place physically and personally, running his own business in the Hague and on good terms again with his partner.Football can support its prized assets better in retirement. The elite professionals live a privileged but controlled life and the shift to unstructured freedom isnt always an easy transition to make.TOPICSNewcastle UnitedChris NeeChris is a Warwickshire-based freelance writer, Editor-in-Chief of AVillaFan.com, author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter and owner of Aston Villa Review. He supports Northern Premier League Midlands Division club Coventry Sphinx.
