Robinson speaks about medical problem

Football is so fickle. One minute you're playing well in Premier League and for your chosen country, and Italian scouts come calling... The next minute, you can't play the game you love because of a heart murmur you knew nothing about and that was not affecting you in any way.

At least I assume that was the case. But you have to wonder a little (a) why he never played for Everton's first team; and (b) why we sold him for a relatively meagre fee to Wigan?

Considering the number of times his name has been mentioned on these pages as Digne seems to fall short in his succession to Baines, you have to wonder about the real back-story here. Surely this kind of problem would have been spotted by Wigan in their medical? And could it be something Everton already know about???

Paul

I sincerely hope we wouldn't cover up a serious medical issue to the detriment of the lads health/life. I know we've a poor record with Michael Ball and co but this is potentially life threatening. Please God we are not that callous as a club

I think the Italian football federation screen for this type of thing from a young age. I once read, though not compulsory over here (at the time of the Muamba incident) not sure about now, but seeing as it wasn't picked up, I'd assume that's the case.

Best of luck to him with the ablation, it doesn't always work, I know from personal experience. Should it fail, that could be the end of his career.

Why was this never picked up by Everton? Surely it hasn't developed only since he joined Wigan.

The problem had to have been previously missed by not only Everton and Wigan but the US national team, for which he last played in June 2019. Glad Milan caught it.

I'm a huge fan of this kid -- hope the procedure works and he can resume his career. Must be scary as hell.

Good luck lad. Hope your back playing soon.

There are different types of arrhythmia. Millions of people suffer from it. From what I have heard, it is possible for an athlete to develop an abnormality during the course of their career. If it had been identified during his time with us, the medical people would have been required to reveal it. To have done otherwise would have been a serious breach of ethical standards.

About 30 years ago I was a competitive marathon runner and I developed a heart rhythm that was "abnormal" for non-endurance athletes but was common among long-distance runners. But if Antonee needs a "procedure", then maybe he has something more significant.

Let's hope that this medical condition can be countered and that Antoine, can lead a normal life and his football career isn't impacted.

Across the press over the years national and international, there's always a few reports each year of players at all levels of football whom collapse, during a match.

Concerning that it's not been picked up previously, but perhaps this depends if the clubs Doctors use the same standard equipment and check routines?

Perhaps this is an area that will get more focus in days, months, years to come.

Here's to a full recover your if possible and he gets back playing.

Hope the medical procedure is successful and he is back playing soon. Still think Wigangot a gift.

This is a sad situation for a young sportsman. England batsman James Taylor went from establishing himself in the national set up in the winter to retired by the start of the domestic season in 2016 after a similar (not sure if it's the same) condition was discovered.

With the money in sport in general, and football in particular, testing for life-threatening conditions of the heart should be mandatory. After all, they monitor and test for all other aspects of cardiovascular fitness. The health of players should be the Number One concern of any club.

I completely agree with you, Martin. Spot on.

However, I sadly have my reservations when it comes to the last sentiment: "The health of players should be the Number One concern of any club."

There is a very strong ideal commented on repeatedly by our posters: the need for players of grit and steel, the never-say-die, run-through-a-brick-wall, head-in-a-bandage, Dave Hickson mentality that is hugely valued by so many of us.

Perhaps that's unfortunate because it harkens back to a bygone era much favoured by our older readers, and perhaps things have changed now...

Or have they? Going off-topic a little here, but I'm sure that mental toughness must be the most difficult quality to instill into young players in these namby-pamby nanny-state times – how likely is it that they should need to 'run through the pain' and suppress the body's natural signals that perhaps there is something amiss?

I'm no athlete — far from it... but I do wonder when I read some of the horror stories about players needing pain-killing injections and other special treatments to get through or recover from the effects of each game.

Worse still for me is the pattern of serious injuries in our younger players. I've been working on their bios for our Player Profiles section and the number who suffer serious injury with long-term consequences is simply staggering to me. What is it about that small minority of players who manage to avoid serious injury? Are they not trying hard enough?

If the sentiment above is correct, then it seems something is going seriously wrong somewhere along the line.