He’s received credit for helping English sports teams win in cycling, snooker and soccer… and now he’s being brought about Roy Hodgson’s 2014 World Cup staff to help Three Lions reach their peak.
He’s psychiatrist Dr. Steve Peters, and his skills aren’t going to tackle Mario Balotelli, Luis Suarez and Bryan Ruiz, but Steven Gerrard is a believer in the good doctor.
“He has helped me a lot from a personal point of view,” said Gerrard. “He helped me with a groin problem in 2010, when I feared for my career.
“I saw him in a one-on-one situation and I liked his work and continued to see him. I feel he can help the players if the players buy into what he is trying to do.”
From a BBC breakout box entitled “Who is Steve Peters?”
- Holds degrees in mathematics, medicine and medical education (Masters level). He also postgraduate qualifications in Sports medicine, education and psychiatry.
- His book, ‘The Chimp Paradox’, explains how the human mind operates and how any individual can learn skills to manage their mind.
- Sports stars he has worked with include Ronnie O’Sullivan, Craig Bellamy, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton.
- Teams he has assisted include the Great Britain Olympic cycling team, Team Sky, England’s rugby union side and Liverpool FC.
- Hoy said that “without Steve I don’t think I could have brought home triple gold from Beijing” while Pendleton said he was “the most important person” in her career.
Well, he wrote “The Chimp Paradox,” so it’s obviously a one-way ticket to Gold Trophy City for England.
Jokes aside, sports psychologists are nothing new in helping athletes achieve their best. I can remember from my work covering the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League that star goaltender Ryan Miller credited one for taking his game to the next level.
There’s no harm in bringing in a brilliant man who knows the human brain to aid in a team’s growth ahead of a major event, but you have to laugh when you realize the world of sports we live dictates a headline such as the one on this post.
