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Ex-Red Babel reveals he faced mental health issues after Liverpool axed him
Babel was offloaded from Liverpool for half of his initial transfer fee.
He lost his place in the Netherlands squad back then.
The Dutchman admits he had mental issues because it seemed everybody disliked him as a footballer.
Nobody wanted to sign him and Babel had to make a money move to the United Arab Emirates.
His career has taken a U-turn after signing with Fulham.
Former Liverpool forward Ryan Babel believes he is one of the most hated persons in football when it comes to fans and pundits. The Dutchman moved to Liverpool in a £14million deal in 2007.
He was a promising star from Ajax but failed to settle under Sir Kenny Dalglish and was eventually offloaded to Hoffenheim for around £7m. Babel immediately lost his place in the Oranje's squad and started travelling from one club to another, playing in Turkey, Abu Dhabi, Spain and Holland.
"I have played for Ajax, Liverpool and Besiktas in Turkey – all massive clubs in Europe," the forward told the Mirror. "I play for my country and I am an established international. And yet, I know that most people think that I should not even be selected.
"Nobody likes me. I know that the Holland boss, Ronald Koeman, appreciates me. But for pundits, TV commentators and in the media, I don’t even exist. Every footballer plays with the hope that people love to watch you. But, for me, there is no sympathy or interest. I don’t seem to have any charm for fans.
"What can I do about it? I really don’t know. If they don’t like you, nobody will care about you. I don’t feel sorry for myself. But I do think it’s time to express myself and come out with my inner feelings.
"When I played for Liverpool, I was always picked for Holland. But when I left, I didn’t get picked for my country once between 2011 and 2017.
"That was a stage in my career when I had mental problems because I was not sure if I was actually a decent footballer. If nine out of 10 people are saying you are no good as a player, you get some bad moments of reflection. When I was in the prime of my career, nobody wanted to sign me. Not a single club showed interest.
"My agent started to ask managers and club directors why they didn’t want to sign me. The answer was always the same, ‘Decent player, but not for us’. Every time. It knocks your confidence. I just had to accept it and, in the end, I decided to go for the money and I moved to the United Arab Emirates."
Last season, Ryan Babel joined the Premier League minnows Fulham and though the Cottagers relegated, Babel's display earned him much praise.
"When I came back to England at Christmas and signed for Fulham, I felt that nobody was keen on me in London. Again, I did not know why," he added. "But everyone made a U-turn. I convinced them with decent performances and so many Fulham fans have said to me, ‘Sorry, I was wrong’.My social media accounts exploded with sympathetic messages.
"I’ve gone from scratch to the top again. In two years, my life has gone from below freezing point to being hot again."
Copyright - The Mirror
He lost his place in the Netherlands squad back then.
The Dutchman admits he had mental issues because it seemed everybody disliked him as a footballer.
Nobody wanted to sign him and Babel had to make a money move to the United Arab Emirates.
His career has taken a U-turn after signing with Fulham.
Former Liverpool forward Ryan Babel believes he is one of the most hated persons in football when it comes to fans and pundits. The Dutchman moved to Liverpool in a £14million deal in 2007.
He was a promising star from Ajax but failed to settle under Sir Kenny Dalglish and was eventually offloaded to Hoffenheim for around £7m. Babel immediately lost his place in the Oranje's squad and started travelling from one club to another, playing in Turkey, Abu Dhabi, Spain and Holland.
"I have played for Ajax, Liverpool and Besiktas in Turkey – all massive clubs in Europe," the forward told the Mirror. "I play for my country and I am an established international. And yet, I know that most people think that I should not even be selected.
"Nobody likes me. I know that the Holland boss, Ronald Koeman, appreciates me. But for pundits, TV commentators and in the media, I don’t even exist. Every footballer plays with the hope that people love to watch you. But, for me, there is no sympathy or interest. I don’t seem to have any charm for fans.
"What can I do about it? I really don’t know. If they don’t like you, nobody will care about you. I don’t feel sorry for myself. But I do think it’s time to express myself and come out with my inner feelings.
"When I played for Liverpool, I was always picked for Holland. But when I left, I didn’t get picked for my country once between 2011 and 2017.
"That was a stage in my career when I had mental problems because I was not sure if I was actually a decent footballer. If nine out of 10 people are saying you are no good as a player, you get some bad moments of reflection. When I was in the prime of my career, nobody wanted to sign me. Not a single club showed interest.
"My agent started to ask managers and club directors why they didn’t want to sign me. The answer was always the same, ‘Decent player, but not for us’. Every time. It knocks your confidence. I just had to accept it and, in the end, I decided to go for the money and I moved to the United Arab Emirates."
Last season, Ryan Babel joined the Premier League minnows Fulham and though the Cottagers relegated, Babel's display earned him much praise.
"When I came back to England at Christmas and signed for Fulham, I felt that nobody was keen on me in London. Again, I did not know why," he added. "But everyone made a U-turn. I convinced them with decent performances and so many Fulham fans have said to me, ‘Sorry, I was wrong’.My social media accounts exploded with sympathetic messages.
"I’ve gone from scratch to the top again. In two years, my life has gone from below freezing point to being hot again."
Copyright - The Mirror
