Football is by no means the endgame of life

I awoke to the terrible news yesterday that Robert Enke had taken his life, leaving his wife and daughter behind. This news put my stomach in a knot but also replayed that tired old cliché saying of 'putting things into perspective'.

I hadn't known much about the player to be honest, but this horrific story made me eager to find out why a player had been driven to end his own life. As I read the various articles surrounding Enke's life and death, it dawned on me that for a second, I forgot that Robert Enke was more than just a professional footballer; he was a husband and a father. Of course I knew that Enke was more than just a player, but as the media men saturate us with endless wag-tertainment, the next Beckham look, and baby Kai, we sometimes forget that these superstars are just like us, human and certainly not untouchable.

Grief hit me when I read that Enke's daughter, little Lara, died, aged just two, due to a problem with her fragile heart. Robert, never recovered from this (recovered is a stupid word to use and for that, I am sorry. You never recover from the death of a loved one, you simply teach yourself to cope with the loss). Even though the Enke's adopted a baby girl, the death of his Lara would drive the zest from his life and leave him a crumbled, hollow man.

I wrote the article surrounding some of the silly actions some players get up to; thinking to themselves that they are above the law. I look back on that now and think to myself that maybe I shouldn't have given Marlon King the time of day. Maybe my time would have been better spent discussing the problems some of our stars endure on a daily basis. Hindsight, they say, would be a wonderful thing.

Before I finalise this article, I would like to leave my condolences to Teresa and Leila Enke.

RIP Robert Enke