“I always said this before. Somehow, not physically but mentally, it was harder to retire than what I went through with my tumor, to be honest with you.”
José Enrique has experienced enough pain in recent years for most people to last their entire lives.
After his career ended prematurely due to injury, the former Premier League star was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor less than a year later.
Fortunately, the 36-year-old saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and in April 2019, 11 months after his chordoma diagnosis, Enrique was given the go-ahead.
Since then, regular check-ups have been carried out, but as time goes on, the ex-Liverpool Y newcastle defender can overcome such a difficult period in his life.
He and his wife Amy, whom he met while playing in England, now also have a new focus on their life.
Enrique announced that they are expecting their first child together in Valencia, which has shown the former footballer that he and his family can still find true happiness in their future.
However, it would have been hard for Enrique to believe that just a few years ago.
“With retirement, it was what I was doing since I was six years old. Obviously, after I was a little boy, you become a professional, you enjoy your life doing what you love the most: playing football. And in my case it ended due to injury, and not because I wanted to”, Enrique tells exclusively daily star sport to name betsfree.com.
“It’s difficult in a way when you decide to retire, but I decided because my knee was not good. It was very, very difficult to accept that.
“Mentally, with my mental health, I struggled with that.
“It is very difficult to cope with ‘normal’ life. It’s very, very difficult to find something you’re passionate about again. You’re going to have to accept that it’s never going to be anything like how passionate you were about football. You have to accept that, and that’s the hardest thing.
“However, you can still find happiness and be happy in your life.”
What memories do you have of José Enrique as a player? Let us know at comments section.
(Image: AP)
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Harry spent four seasons with Newcastle and helped them gain promotion back to the Premier League before joining Liverpool and picked up some cutlery for his personal cabinet during his time at Anfield.
In his last three seasons with the Reds, Enrique managed just 21 appearances as injuries took their toll.
A dubious knee plagued him in recent years, before a brief stint in Spain with Real Zaragoza put an end to Enrique’s playing days.
However, looking back on his time in the Premier League, Harry has only positive memories and still has a strong relationship with Liverpool, especially.
“Obviously I won the Championship with Newcastle, I won the Carabao Cup with Liverpool,” he added. “It’s beautiful to have them, not only for us but for the club and the fans are history, that’s great.
“But the most important thing for me, and you appreciate it even more when you retire, is the day to day. Playing at Anfield, playing at St James’ Park, with the fans, when I was doing very, very well with both clubs, how I was treated, and still is, by both clubs. That’s what I take. The love of fans. The affection of the clubs and of the people who are within them.
“Obviously in this case I have more to do with Liverpool than Newcastle because of the ownership (Mike Ashley) that was there before. My relationship with Liverpool is beautiful because of what I did in the past, and thanks to that I was very, very happy in my life there.
“I had so many experiences there, I learned a lot as a man because I left home at a very young age, a very inexperienced guy, a kid at the time.
“Then I also met my wife, the person who conquered my heart had to be English, it’s crazy! I had to go to England to meet the love of my life.
“But it’s the love of the fans, playing for both clubs, incredible experiences, that’s what I take.”
Enrique is feeling optimistic these days, and with a baby on the way, he is relieved to have his health, both mentally and physically, in a good place.
“I just got my checkup, I go every six months,” he confirmed. “Then it will become one every year after the next. After a few years it will change to two years. I do it more often because I have a good relationship with the doctor who operated on me, so he is always, always taking care of me, but I am very well.
“I don’t have any side effects now. I had them for a while, but now they’re pretty good, can’t complain.
“My life is going very well now, we bought a house here now in Valencia, so everything is on the right track at the moment. Obviously it wasn’t nice, but now I’m very happy.”
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