Former Rovers star Jansen loving life again after surviving dark days (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Blackburn Rovers & Premier League Table & Results
Former Rovers star Jansen loving life again after surviving dark days
8:09am Monday 16th July 2012 in Blackburn Rovers & Premier League Table & Results
By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter
A METEORIC rise, a near-death experience and a soul destroying battle to get his way back to the top. All the Matt Jansen story is missing is a fairytale ending.
You wouldn’t rule it out either as the former Blackburn Rovers striker continues his new footballing chapter, having fallen back in love with the game after a ‘nightmare’ few years.
Jansen’s career ‘hell’ is widely known as he attempted to fight his way back to the top of the game, after an accident in Rome in 2002.
The accident on a scooter left him in a coma for six days after suffering a brain haemorrhage, as one of England’s brightest young talents was left fighting, not just for his career, but his life.
Now, a decade on, a philosophical Jansen only has eyes on the future. The past has haunted him for long enough. Now, it is all about the future and his dreams of one day getting back to the top - this time in the world of coaching.
After just a few minutes with him at his Alderley Edge home, it was easy to see why many within the game believe he has a big future as a coach – or even as manager.
Articulate, intelligent and with a real knowledge of football, Jansen talks about his ambitions with real enthusiasm, as well as an obvious belief in his ability.
For the last couple of seasons, the 34-year-old has helped former Rovers team-mate Garry Flitcroft guide Chorley up the footballing ladder.
Jansen is the Magpies’ player-coach, with Flitcroft as boss, and they are hoping to make it two promotions in just three seasons this time around, having narrowly missed out last campaign.
This summer has seen him take another step towards his coaching badges and, when a dream future return to Rovers is mentioned, it quickly becomes obvious Jansen has lofty ambitions.
He said: “I had a break after I finally decided to walk away from the game. It literally was destroying me. I could never get back to what I was no matter how many times I tried.
“After a complete break though I got into the coaching and management side. It is something I am really enjoying.
“I love what I am doing. I really do. I love working with Flitty and have just started my coaching badges and, believe me, they are a grind.
“It is hard, hard work. You have a big file and you have 15 to 16 tasks and you have to get them all signed off. You have seminars and copying things out of books.
“I am doing that. Then that is one coaching badge done and then you are onto your B and your A.
“They have to be done because it is part of what I want to do. I am ambitious and I want to progress in the game. I am loving life at Chorley and hopefully we can get promoted again this season. Let’s see how far we can go.
“Who knows? One day I would like a go at management and of course it would be great if I ever got the chance at Blackburn Rovers.
“At the moment though I am just enjoying what I am doing and seeing where it takes me.”
It would have been very easy for Jansen’s hard luck story to have taken him from the game for good. We are talking about a 24-year-old at the height of his powers, suddenly struck down by a freak accident.
There was no lack of effort on his behalf to get back to being the imaginative, skillful and crowd-pleasing player he once was. After four years of trying though, he was forced to give up.
“I thought ‘what might have been’ for years,” he said.” You have to draw a line under it some day though. I was trying to get back to my best and psychologically I never quite felt that I was.
“I was advised not to play for 12 months after the accident but it was six months when I felt I could play.
“I played against Aston Villa in the cup, scored two goals and did well. Then I didn’t play for another month. They were told to look after me and not keep playing me, but no one explained that to me.
“I started doubting myself and questioning myself. Then I played against Sunderland and was brought off. They were just looking after me but I didn’t understand that.
“Gary McAllister asked if I would go and play for Coventry on loan. Rovers thought a drop down would be an easier route back for me. I thought it was just another knock to me ego.
“If everything had been explained correctly to me that it was about looking after me then it might have worked out differently. But I constantly kept getting these knocks, albeit they were not meant to be knocks. They were just trying to look after me.
“My confidence kept dropping. I was flying before all this and I couldn’t quite get the confidence back.”
If you listen to fans from Rovers and Bolton, there certainly seemed plenty of signs during the post accident years that Jansen showed glimpses of his former self.
It was never enough to convince the former Carlisle starlet that he could repeat his past glories and, without that old confidence, Jansen knew he was done for.
“Apparently there is not one thing physically wrong and it was all psychological,” he said. “I was adamant I wasn’t 100 per cent. I did well and then went to Bolton and played well so I doubt there was. I presume it was all psychological and just couldn’t get as confident as I was.
“I never felt I was going to win the battle. Even when people said I was brilliant I didnt believe it. I didn’t have that belief, that arrogance any more.
“I always doubted and questioned myself, whereas before I thought I could walk on water. It went from being never my fault before the accident to always being my fault after it. The mind is powerful.
“It was killing me. I had got that bad with it, I was in a bad way. I feared playing football. I didn’t want the ball because I believed I was going to make a mistake. I went on to the pitch petrified, which was ridiculous. It was destroying me.
“I walked away from it for good. Then in December Sam Allardyce asked me back. I loved football but I hated what it was doing to me, but I missed it when I wasn’t there. It was strange.
“Sam is notorious at getting people back to their best. I hadn’t done anything for three months and Sam asked if I wanted to play. I came off the bench and it was against Blackburn.
“He was great. I enjoyed it but still I had that fear and the problems and in the end I called it a day.”
Comments(35)
petemcglinn
says...
9:07am Mon 16 Jul 12
1rover
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9:24am Mon 16 Jul 12
spoonfullofsugar
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9:32am Mon 16 Jul 12
plymouthrover
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9:33am Mon 16 Jul 12
All the best mate.
RobbyRover
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9:47am Mon 16 Jul 12
Brilliant to see him back on his feet, and all the best to him!
Road Runner Road Runner
says...
9:58am Mon 16 Jul 12
A wonderful honor to have had Matty at BRFC.
All the best of luck pal, and maybe, just maybe a future manager at BRFC ?
Good luck with your promotion tilt season 2012/2013.
Arte et labore
garyintandem
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10:00am Mon 16 Jul 12
garyintandem
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10:01am Mon 16 Jul 12
Rishtonian
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10:04am Mon 16 Jul 12
pity you are not ready for management yet as I am sure most of us would love to se you replace Kean
Think even at the stage you are at now you would still do a better job tha him
RUinsane
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10:07am Mon 16 Jul 12
Matt has pointed out how half of a footballers game is confidence, so what better way of boosting it than turning up and booing the arse off your own players, so in effect you cheeky monkeys should shoulder some of the relegation blame. Just an observation.
Keep up the good work Janni, maybe one day you will return. I hope so.
Dead Sun Rising
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10:07am Mon 16 Jul 12
Lee BRFC
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10:58am Mon 16 Jul 12
You were awesome in the 5-0
It would be great to see you back
at ewood one day. LEGEND.
madsvad
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11:37am Mon 16 Jul 12
All the best to you, Matty. You throroughly deserve it. And welcome back once Uncle Fester is long gone and forgotten.
Roy Race
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12:10pm Mon 16 Jul 12
A Darener wrote:And those two golas the day he ran the Dingles ragged - what day was that? I can't remember!
Good luck in the future. I loved to see you play. Especially that goal at North End. Magical. You would be welcome back to Ewood once the regime changes.
roverinmanchstr
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12:42pm Mon 16 Jul 12
garyintandem wrote:yes, and I'll be watching Chorley...Good Luck for this season!!!
Yeah and it was because that goon Erikson took matin known to the world cup instead of Matty. Keep doing well at Chorley with Flitty and come the revolution....
penemo
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12:42pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Get your coaching badges asap and with flitty come to ewood park to replace con man kean and the owners would watch renewal of thousands more s.t.
penemo
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12:42pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Get your coaching badges asap and with flitty come to ewood park to replace con man kean and the owners would watch renewal of thousands more s.t.
AndyW
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12:46pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Absolutely cracking player and such a shame his career was ended so early.
But look at the positives: he survived what was a very serious incident and is now prospering as a coach.
Let's hope he returns to Rovers one day.
A Darener
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12:55pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Roy Race wrote:Two goals from Matt Jansen after the interval did not flatter the hosts and, when the substitute Craig Hignett rattled in a fifth, Blackburn had registered their most comprehensive post-war victory over their old foes.
A Darener wrote:And those two golas the day he ran the Dingles ragged - what day was that? I can't remember!
Good luck in the future. I loved to see you play. Especially that goal at North End. Magical. You would be welcome back to Ewood once the regime changes.
Monday April 2nd 2001? I think, according to Guardian report Google it for more info.
Roy Race
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1:06pm Mon 16 Jul 12
A Darener wrote:Think it was the first A Darener! Hee Hee
Roy Race wrote:Two goals from Matt Jansen after the interval did not flatter the hosts and, when the substitute Craig Hignett rattled in a fifth, Blackburn had registered their most comprehensive post-war victory over their old foes. Monday April 2nd 2001? I think, according to Guardian report Google it for more info.A Darener wrote: Good luck in the future. I loved to see you play. Especially that goal at North End. Magical. You would be welcome back to Ewood once the regime changes.And those two golas the day he ran the Dingles ragged - what day was that? I can't remember!
makaveli96
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1:29pm Mon 16 Jul 12
Living in Alderly Edge is a slight concern though......All ex player who support the club should live in the town!
Bangkok Rover
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2:35pm Mon 16 Jul 12
ronnie clayton
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5:38pm Mon 16 Jul 12
guiderover
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6:33pm Mon 16 Jul 12
trueblue72
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6:41pm Mon 16 Jul 12
He was the one player who I loved to watch week in week out.
A gem of a left foot and superb in the air, he was awesome.
I was never a great lover of Flitty but fair play to him for plying his trade in the lower divisions.
I hope Matty falls back in love with game again as he has so much to offer and coach.
I'd take both of them now at Ewood to pull us out of the mire and I truly believe they'd do a far better job than numpty lying keanochio n his cronies.
They'd have rovers at heart and they'd have the backing of the fans.
They've both played at the top level and in the championship and would know what was needed to succeed.
It could well be the surprising appointment to put some life back into the club.
Food for thought!
Sportivo
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10:11pm Mon 16 Jul 12
I remember going to Ewood on a freezing cold night in December 01, only to be warmed up by a Jansen hat-trick that finished off Arsenal in the League Cup 1/4s.
Then a goal against Sheff Wed in the semis, and the beauty in Cardiff in the Final against Spurs. With Matt Jansen in our team, the cup was always going to be ours.
Good luck for the future MJ, hope to see you back at Ewood soon.
Johnnyfatboy
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10:50pm Mon 16 Jul 12
He came over to Lancaster on a couple of occasions and spent most of the time patiently mixing with local supporters.
Whist I obviously remember his important goals his first one (I think) at Ewood against Spurs stands out.
Watching from the Blackburn end he had his back to goal on the edge of the area. Just dropped his shoulder feinted to go left and went the other way and stuck it away all in one movement. Stunned the crowd in fact there was a pause before anyone celebrated, it was that unexpected.
Sol Campbell (at his peak at the time ) was marking him closely but was totally helpless to do anything.
Fantastic player sadly missed and tragic that he never got the international recognition he deserved especially as he was naturally left sided and England did not have anyone in that position.
If we ever get him back I will renew my season ticket the same day!
Marko 84
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11:15pm Mon 16 Jul 12
I always felt so bad for Matt Jansen, I think his story stands as a warning and an eye opener to a lot of up and coming stars out there...you can lose it all just as fast as you get it. It was no fault of his own but I think other pro's should take note and remember to enjoy it and make the most of it while they have it, never take anything for granted.
I hope he succeeds and makes a career for himself in coaching or even management at a high level, that would make a wonderful story.
He was a great player, so talented, I always enjoyed watching him.
I wish him all the best.
reiko082
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2:03am Tue 17 Jul 12
Hats off and good luck!
Ianwhittam
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9:07am Tue 17 Jul 12
On behalf of all Rovers supporters, would you please ask Steve Kean why he has not felt the need to at least make a public apology regarding his abhorrent management of the club we love. In all honesty ( and sincerely) without malice, it makes my stomach turn when article after article mentions that kean has gone here or done this and that, shot over to Portugal etc. I cringe when the phrase 'Rovers boss' is applied to him. Surely Andy, every time the telegraph does approach Kean, or interviews him face to face, questions should constantly be put to him until answers are finally unearthedl. Their is no rocket science involved here. The supporters deserve to hear Kean say that he bogged up, they need to hear him say that in any normal football club his position would have been untenable months ago, and he would, by now, have been sacked. No true Rovers supporter, whether a mouthy dissenter like me, or the hundreds who have been worn down by the 'Lack of kean PR machine.' {catchy eh?) will ever be happy with kean in charge, because that would mean accepting, and, being a part of his sad delusional world. He has the job, he has the wage, but whilst at Rovers, unless he accepts that Northerners value honesty, pride and hard work and he crawls, begging for forgiveness and another chance. He will never have the kudos of a top rated football manager because his record at Rovers will haunt him as well as us. I could not live like that, no Lancastrian I know could live like that....... why should we have to put up with someone like that.
Every Match, let the Rovers Roar KEAN OUT!!!!!
Roverthere
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9:43am Tue 17 Jul 12
jimbo22350
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1:55pm Tue 17 Jul 12
Rover Pete
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9:08pm Tue 17 Jul 12
UKdarran
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11:28am Wed 18 Jul 12
Ferrari 5 Mini 0
Ferrari scorers: Short, Davis(og - haha), Jansen x2, Hignett.
A Darener says...
8:15am Mon 16 Jul 12