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Players could harm themselves if not given enough support during times of crisis, according to former Huddersfield youngster Tareiq Holmes-Dennis. The defender was forced to retire in 2020, aged just 24, after a serious knee injury. Holmes-Dennis needed counselling when his career was cut short and while he feels concern for player welfare has improved, claims there needs to be a prolonged push to aid those in need. Former Manchester City youngster Jeremy Wisten took his own life in 2020 after being released following a battle with a knee injury and Holmes-Dennis worries about the mental health of others. “When you see young boys that have taken their life because they can’t cope – coping with the stresses of being released – it should never get there,” he told the PA news agency. “You don’t want it to become a norm. There are so many people going through situations where they are mentally struggling. “It is starting to be highlighted a bit more. Some clubs in particular are putting time and effort into giving the resources to players and, ultimately, it’s players who make the club perform. When you see young boys that have taken their life because they can't cope - coping with the stresses of being released - it should never get there Tareiq Holmes-Dennis “Their welfare should be at the forefront but it’s relatively new, mental health and player welfare and making sure players are in a good physical and mental space. “There is a magnifying glass on that now which is good because it is easy to look from the outside and say ‘you’re paid to do X, Y, Z’. There’s a lot more that goes into that and there’s a lot of repercussions for players off the pitch if their mental health isn’t in the right place. “It’s clear an effort is being made to understand what players go through and what can be done to best aid them.” The 27-year-old, now working at agency Wasserman, suffered a serious knee injury on his Portsmouth debut in 2017 while on loan at Fratton Park from Huddersfield. He slipped on the artificial surface around the pitch and, after three years of injury battles and aborted comebacks, was forced to retire prematurely. Other players have returned from a similar injury, including Jack Whatmough and Jack Robinson, who played with Holmes-Dennis at Pompey. However, being forced to quit left the former England Under-18 international feeling bereft. “I saw a counsellor to get over it. I learned speaking about it was the biggest thing. I didn’t want to hold it in,” said Holmes-Dennis, who was part of the Huddersfield squad promoted to the Premier League in 2017. “I also didn’t want to be annoying people but I know my family loved me and understood what I was going through was difficult because they’d seen my journey. “It was just a dark, dark time. Losing that routine, losing that drive to wake up and do something. You’re used to preparing in a certain way, being an elite athlete and living the elite lifestyle to then feeling irrelevant.” Holmes-Dennis’ situation is not unique and left a promising young player facing up to the reality of having his career and life torn away. After starting his career at Charlton, joining Huddersfield in 2016, Holmes-Dennis made 107 senior appearances – including 30 for Bristol Rovers – before the injury he suffered against Rochdale on August 5, 2017. To aid players like him, the Professional Footballers’ Association has joined with a law firm, Stewarts, to offer current and former players a legal dispute management service. The PFA already offers club workshops, a 24/7 helpline, a national network of 250 counsellors and residential support via the Sporting Chance Clinic. Also available to members is a wellbeing network and, in 2021-22, 600 accessed the service, resulting in more than 7,000 therapy sessions. In the last 10 months, the PFA has also appointed former Arsenal executive James King as its general counsel. Sports disputes lawyer at Stewarts, Barrington Atkins, added: “We know player wellbeing is very much at the heart of what the PFA does, and we aim to help players tackle any issues before they start to impact their wellbeing.” Players will be provided with advice on problems relating to injuries, employment, divorce and family issues, tax disputes and media-related issues – a service which Holmes-Dennis feels is much needed. “It’s massive because it’s a stress you wouldn’t want to take on your own,” he said. “You might not understand how to navigate the situation. “As long as there’s an awareness and the culture is shifting to actually caring about players – physically and mentally – and not just for tonight’s game or tomorrow’s game, then there’s progress. “Players want to play but whether they are capable, able or physically and mentally ready to do so is another thing.” Bristol Rovers declined to comment when contacted by the PA news agency. 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Australia and New Zealand are scrambling to come up with solutions to name the 14 stadiums necessary for a World Cup 2034 bid in time for the 31 October deadline, potentially clearing the way for Saudi Arabia even more. Fifa's requirements state that all of the stadiums must have a capacity of at least 40,000 seats, but there are currently only 11 that fit that profile across the two countries. What's more, some of the Australian stadiums that meet the criteria are cricket ovals, with sightlines that aren't really suitable for football. The bidding documents do state that only four of the named venues need to be "existing stadiums" but it is naturally asking a lot to secure construction commitments in the 26 days between the bidding process opening and closing. The circumstances have brought further commentary within the game that the 2034 bidding has almost been set up as a fait accompli for Saudi Arabia, and they had their potential bid ready to go once the process was announced. With Jordan Henderson and Saudi Pro League players backing the bid. The country is currently undergoing a huge sporting expansion, and staging the World Cup is seen as a huge part of Mohammed Bin Salman's 'Vision 2030'. Although the 2030 event had initially been the target, Saudi Arabia was politically outmanoeuvred by the initial Portugal-Spain bid, as Morocco was brought in to split the African vote. The fact it was the centenary of the competition only strengthened the idea of a cross-continental event, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay subsequently brought in for the opening games. Saudi Arabia instead decided to shift all energy to a 2034 bid, in which the rules behind continental rotation mean that World Cup can only be held in Asia or Oceania. It makes Australia-New Zealand the only likely competitor for 2034, although with increasing complications. A statement from Football Australia CEO James Johnson read: “As stated previously, Football Australia is exploring the possibility of bidding for the 2029 Fifa Club World Cup and/or the Fifa World Cup 2034. We acknowledge Fifa’s communication regarding the Fifa World Cup 2034 and we are encouraged that after the hugely successful Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 and Fifa Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, the football family of Asia and Oceania will once again have the opportunity to showcase their ability to welcome the world and host the best Fifa tournaments.” The reference to the Asia football family has been interpreted as instructive by involved figures. Another complicated solution for Australia and New Zealand is to potentially bring in a third partner, but that would inevitably have to be a country from thousands of miles away in the Asian Football Confederation. It is understood that the body have made it clear Saudi Arabia is their preferred choice, putting off any bid from Japan and Korea. The prohibitive circumstances also illustrate how limiting a 48-team competition is going to be in finding hosts in the future. Read More 2030 World Cup will be hosted by six countries across three continents, Fifa announces FIFA set to approve letting Russian youth soccer national teams return to competition Gareth Southgate questions ‘integrity’ of 2030 World Cup format Fifa clears the way for Saudi Arabia to host 2034 World Cup Jordan Henderson plays the tool on road to Saudi Arabia’s inevitable World Cup Gareth Southgate positive about UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028

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