LONDON - One in four professional footballers said they suffer symptoms of anxiety and depression in a new study into the sports largely unexplored "dark side" of mental illness. The mental health of recently retired professional footballers was even more worrisome, with one in three reporting signs of anxiety and depression. Some 300 current and former professionals — from the Netherlands, Major League Soccer, Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand — took part in the study for the players union, FIFPro. While football can draw on reams of scientific study about players physical injuries, little research has previously been done into their mental health, and mental health problems have remained very much taboo in the sport, FIFPro chief medical officer Vincent Gouttebarge said. "There is definitely some dark side of professional football," he said in an interview. "We dont talk about mental health issues in football, or we didnt talk about this issue," he added. "Its quite a macho culture so people do not talk about it." Gouttebarge said the studys findings suggest that professional footballers are no less prone to mental illness than other younger people in the general population. He said that might surprise fans who believe footballers live comfortable, worry-free lives, with media attention often focusing on the wealth of the most successful players. "Contrary to what people think, professional footballers experience psychological problems just like other groups in the population," Gouttebarge said. Among the 180 active footballers who responded to the lengthy questionnaire, 10 per cent reported symptoms of distress, five per cent reported signs of burnout and three per cent said they suffered from low self-esteem. Nearly 20 per cent reported problems with alcohol, which Gouttebarge said could include binge drinking and regularly drinking too much, and seven per cent said they smoked. The 121 former professionals who responded on average had 12-year playing careers and have been retired for five years. Fifteen per cent showed signs of burnout and 18 per cent signs of distress. One in three reported drinking problems, 12 per cent smoked, and 39 per cent reported suffering from depression and anxiety. Gouttebarge said that could include worrying, mood swings, difficulties sleeping, feeling stressed, not being sociable or a combination of symptoms. "Mental illness seems to occur among former professional footballers more often than in current players, and more often than in other populations. Consequently, mental illness among former professional footballers cannot be underestimated and should be a subject of interest for all stakeholders in football," the study said. Retirement was "really a critical period," with players abruptly losing the structure of regular training and the support of being in a club, Gouttebarge said. "You have to find a new life," he said. "It can put you under a lot of stress." Long-term injuries and surgeries that take players out of the game and away from close, regular contact with teammates can also be factors in mental health problems. Being forced to stop playing professionally because of injury or because clubs wont offer another contract can be particularly hard to cope with, Gouttebarge noted. "This has been recognized in other sports as a huge cause of mental health issues," he said. "The guy who is willing to retire or to stop his career is really (in) a different kind of situation to the one who is forced to retire." He called the study "a good first step" toward identifying the scope of mental health issues in football. The survey is expanding to players in France and from French-speaking nations in Africa, with plans to also study players in Spanish-speaking countries and Japan, Gouttebarge said. 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And Richard Bachman, their rookie goalie, is facing a penalty shot a few seconds after the opening face-off. No pressure, right? Bachman stood his ground against Zack Kassian and saw the puck dribble off the Canuck rookies stick, then settled in and backstopped the Stars to a 5-2 win over Vancouver Tuesday that put Dallas in first place in the Pacific Division.MONTREAL - Usually, David Krejci is piling up points in the post-season, but not this year. The Boston Bruins top-line centre had no goals and only three assists through the first 10 playoff games. Like Max Pacioretty on the opposing Montreal Canadiens, he is starting to feel some heat for his lack of production. "It feels like its right there," Krejci said Monday as the Bruins prepared for a crack at eliminating Montreal in Game 6 of their NHL Eastern Conference semifinal. "We have to start putting the puck in the net more often. "My linemates (Milan Lucic and Jarome Iginla) have been doing a pretty good job at it. Theyve been great for me the whole year, so I want to return the favour and try to be better for them." Krejci led the playoffs in scoring with nine goals and 26 points in 22 games a year ago, when the Bruins lost to Chicago in the Stanley Cup final. He also went on a tear when Boston won the Cup in 2011 with 23 playoff points. But while Lucic had a decent three goals and four assists and Iginla scored four times and added two helpers, little has been happening for the guy who normally is the playmaker on the top unit. Other than, as usual, winning well over half of his faceoffs. "I believe my time is about to come and Im going to be big for my team," he said. "I owe it to these guys. "I know we dont live in the past. But Ive been in the position before were I know I can be the player, so Im trying to stay positive. Go out and work hard. My teammates have been doing a good job of winning hockey games, so I believe my time is just around the corner." Second-line centre Patrice Bergeron and the third line centred by Carl Soderberg were the main offensive threats for the Bruins. Krejci hassnt been helped by the opponents Boston has faced.dddddddddddd Both Montreal and Detroit are quick, skating teams that relay more on puck pressure than physical play. Krejci has struggled against the Canadiens in the past. Coach Claude Julien wasnt surprised to hear that Krejci feels indebted to his teammates. "Hes just a character guy," said Julien. "Hes demanding of himself and hes been a good player for us all year." Krejci was the first player on the ice for their game-day skate, but said he wasnt making any point. "At this time, when youre in a little slump like I am, then you have to work on your game and Ive been trying to do that," he said. "Like I said, I owe it to these guys, so I want to come up big for them." As he did ahead of Game 4, a 1-0 overtime win for Boston at the Bell Centre, Julien played around with his lines at the skate. They were expected to be back to normal by puck-drop. The Canadiens, who skated at their practice rink in Brossard, Que., caused a stir with broad hints that rookie Nathan Beaulieu would start on defence in place of Douglas Murray. Coach Michel Therrien kept his starting lineup to himself, however. "Its been good to be around the group," said Beaulieu, who has been practising with the main group in recent days. "Playoff hockey, it doesnt get any bigger than that, and it doesnt get any bigger than Montreal." It will be the first game since the incident at the end of Game 5 in which Bruins forward Shawn Thornton squirted water from the bench onto P.K. Subbans visor. Thornton was fined by the NHL for unsportsmanlike conduct. Therrien said it may end up helping his team. "A lack of respect can sometimes serve as motivation," he said. ' ' '