‘Nothing to wake up for’: Portsmouth title hero and ex-Coventry City ace opens up on mental health struggles after football retirement
Carl Baker scored nine goals in 50 appearances for Pompey during a two-year stay at Fratton Park.
Carl Baker has opened up on his mental health struggles following his retirement from football.
And the former Pompey favourite has revealed how refereeing has saved his life as he eyes a new path into the game.
The winger, who won the League Two title at Fratton Park in 2017, enjoyed an outstanding career in the EFL, which included success at Coventry City and Stockport County and more.
Having amassed more than 350 appearances, Baker called time on his playing days in 2023 following a stint in non-league.
Honest Pompey title hero opens up on mental health struggles
After announcing his retirement, the League Two title winner was faced with nothing other than golf, which made him feel like he had ‘no purpose’ and ‘nothing to wake up for’
In an honest interview with The Sun, he said: ‘I’d go as far as saying it was life-changing for me. I had no purpose. Nothing to wake up for. Some mornings I’d wake up at nine, ten, eleven.
‘But I had no reason to get up. I was finding it really, really hard.
‘For 20-odd years as a professional footballer, I’d always been told where to be and what time to be there.
‘What to eat, what kit to wear. So then all of a sudden... nothing.
‘I didn’t want to go out the house, probably didn’t leave the house hardly ever, like zero social life. People would call me, I wouldn’t answer my phone.
‘They’d message me, I’d take two or three days to reply, just couldn’t get motivated or had no energy. It’s hard to describe.
‘But when you’ve got nothing to get up for, like job-wise and purpose-wise, it is difficult. I wasn’t even having a shave, I wasn’t getting showered some days.
‘If someone would have said to me you can have 12 months off doing nothing, going and playing golf every day, I’d have thought it’s perfect. Honestly, it’s not.
‘Football is all I’ve ever done since I was a young kid, so it’s difficult to get.
‘People say you could have gone out and got a job and this and that. I did, I tried getting jobs and I’d done a driving job for a little bit.’
How refereeing changed Carl Baker’s life
After a stint as Robert Rock’s caddie at the US Open in 2024, Baker found other ways to break back into football.
And the ex-Pompey and Coventry ace believes it has helped him find new ways of enjoying life.
‘It is probably the last thing I thought I’d ever do.
‘It’s definitely changed my view on referees. When you’re a player, you don’t realise that they’re normal people who love football. They’re good, genuine people.
‘I got sent off by one and I still don’t agree with the sending-off. I was in a gym session with him in Northampton a few weeks back.
‘He actually got it up on his phone and still thought it was a red — I don’t!
‘So we had a little bit of banter and a laugh over it. I’ve got a new perspective and they do a really good job.’
Your next Pompey read: Portsmouth boss’ backing for new faces amid wait for Championship impact