SINGAPORE – When David James was a child, he would race people down the street without them knowing.

The former Liverpool and Manchester City goalkeeper told The Straits Times when he was in town on April 20 for the StarHub Football Festival: “They didn’t know I was racing them but I was like, I’ll beat you to the end of the shop. I had my own competitions in my own head, that’s the kind of competitor I am.”

It is this level of competitiveness that led the 53-year-old to an illustrious English Premier League career featuring 572 games, 169 clean sheets (second to only Petr Cech’s 202) and a record 13 penalty saves.

But in a frank interview in which he passionately chatted about the importance of mental health, the former Aston Villa, West Ham and Portsmouth player said: “It’s good to be competitive because football is a competitive sport.

“But it becomes problematic when you’re not getting your competitive fix on the field and find it elsewhere.”

James then described how he was in the Portsmouth dressing room looking at a teammate’s $1,000 jeans and wanting to return the next day with a more expensive pair just to be able to say “my jeans are better than yours”.

He linked that to the modern phenomenon where footballers and other celebrities can be obsessed about the number of followers and likes on social media. He said: “Why do people need to see how many likes and followers after posting something? I would argue that’s going down the road towards a mental health issue.

“Competition doesn’t end but it can be controlled. I don’t need to beat people to the end of the shop. I need to know why in my life do I have to do that – is there something wrong somewhere else and maybe I need to have a conversation?

“Sit with a friend and have a chat about your situation and you may find you don’t have to be so stressed.”

The 1.94m former England international also struggled with his weight when he weighed 108kg in the 1993-94 season at Liverpool, but got back on track and went on to play at the 2010 World Cup and claim 53 caps after speaking to a doctor about mental health.

James, who was declared bankrupt in 2014 but has now found his feet as a pundit, said: “It’s important that people talk about their problems.

“It’s not a sign of weakness to look for support and get it. I’m definitely encouraging people to have the conversations, because a lot of stuff with mental health is you’re unaware you’ve got a problem until it’s too late.”

Mental health issues have always blighted professional sport, but the subject has come to the fore in recent years following high-profile admissions.

Former Liverpool star, Jermaine Pennant, was another footballer who faced similar problems.

The 41-year-old was the Reds’ Man of the Match in the 2007 Champions League final in which they lost 2-1 to AC Milan, but is also remembered for his drink-driving conviction in 2005 as he battled depression and alcohol addiction.

Pennant, who also turned to punditry after being declared bankrupt in 2023, told ST: “I was embarrassed, and I didn’t want people to know about my problems.

“People think that just because players get paid tens and hundreds of thousands of pounds, everything should be amazing.

“But there are lots of aspects in life that you have to deal with – like not playing, which affects training, and family relationships – that can affect you.”

The former Tampines Rovers, Arsenal and Birmingham City player once told talkSPORT radio station about how he was traumatised by a troubled childhood when he was abandoned by his mother and neglected by his father at a young age. However, he said seeing a therapist saved his life.

Pennant, who played for the EPL Legends against the Singapore Legends on April 21, told ST: “I find speaking about how I felt and how my troubles impacted me helps. 

“People need to be able to understand it’s okay not to be okay. Life will throw obstacles at you and you will go through times when you think nothing can go right, but that’s okay.

“Just don’t think that you’re alone, and that there’s no one to turn to or talk to. There’s always someone out there who will listen and understand your grievance.

“It really does help talking about any issues that you’ve got, whether it’s to a friend, family, therapist. Just speak out.”