Simeone already has Daniel Wass in his ranks. A Danish at Atleti, very strange combination. There was only one before in all history: Jesper Gronkjaer (plus Borge Mathiesen, in the 40s, but did not make his debut). He was also a winter signing, in 2004-05and barely endured that half season, with 19 games played. The winger made his debut against Real Madrid in the Calderón and left good feelings for his ability on the wing, with a lot of overflow. but in summer he went to stuttgart. Atleti had paid just over two million to Birmingham for him and sold him for six. Now, The former rojiblanco winger emerges after spending the most complicated years of his life.
Born in Nuuk, Greenland, in 1977Jesper stood out in his childhood for his speed, to the point of doubting about whether to go for football, which he liked, or athletics, where some saw potential. He started playing in the thisted, where he grew up; and from there he passed at the age of 17 Alborg, where he came to play in the Champions League. In 1998 Ajax paid 6 million for him and stood out in the Dutch league, of which he was named best player in 99-00. The Chelsea then disbursed about €13 million to buy it.
At Stamford Bridge he had an irregular step, although he scored one of the most important goals in the history of the club, for everything that came after. On the last day of 2002-03, Chelsea and Liverpool played a direct duel to qualify for the Champions League. With 1-1 on the scoreboard, which was not worth Chelsea, Gronkjaer picked up the ball near the top of the area, drove inside and unleashed a left-footed shot, half falling to the ground, which ended up in the net. ‘The Billion Pound Goal’ is still called, because that goal put the team in the Champions League and that is the amount that Abramovich later spent to win the trophy.
Without a fixed course: England, Spain, Germany…
In 2004 he left for Birmingham and it cost him a lot. “He’s used to his team dominating,” manager Steve Bruce said. Y in the winter market he arrived at Atlético, that he had already wanted it in the summer, and Gronkjaer, then 28 years old, recovered his smile: “I was right with my decision. I had to come in the summer. But I didn’t make the decision based on football aspects, but personal ones”. One of his best games was at the Camp Nou, where Wass can debut. Atleti won 0-2. In the summer he asked to leave and the club transferred him to Stuttgart. In several subsequent interviews, he has acknowledged that he surely precipitated his departure.
At Stuttgart he did not do particularly well and only lasted a year. In 2006 he returned to his country, to Copenhagen. There it did yield, although one serious knee injury that got complicated made him spend some bad months between 2008 and 2009. In 2011 he announced his retirement.: “I am worn out, but not exhausted.” In 2016, however, he had a brief stint at Graesrodderne, amateur teamwhile starting a television career as a commentator. And then his decline began.
Sinking after withdrawal… and resurgence
Fatigue, rashes, hair loss, headache… The body began to send signals to Gronkjaer. “In August (2016) I went to the emergency room with a severe headache, they admitted me looking for what was happening to me, but they didn’t find anything.” In 2017 she had to stop and left the TV due to the stress she accumulated. “I went 14 days without sleep. I still slept for 45 minutes and woke up,” the ex-soccer player commented on Danish television TV2 two years ago, remembering that. “I had to tell my wife that I needed help, so I couldn’t go on. And it’s the best decision I could make, because now I’m here, cured.” Faced with such a desperate situation, Jesper was admitted to a psychiatric clinic. “I was on antidepressant medication. But the hole was so deep I had to go in,” she recalls. That led him to change his life, because “It was as if it was always at 110 kilometers per hourwithout relaxation”.
Sidste pille spist 3 3/4 år efter den første…forhåbentlig! Du var en god støtte trods alle dine bivirkninger, da stressen og depressionen buldrede afsted. Selvom det aldrig var et mål, at slippe dig ud af mit liv tror jeg det er på rette tid. #depression #stress #udbrændthed pic.twitter.com/NebochT150
— Jesper Grønkjær (@J_Gronkjaer) April 5, 2021
After nine months off, in January 2018 he began to resume his lifebut more calmly. And to comment on the television game again. “I’m still myself, but in another edition. My life has changed. I have other priorities,” he explained. Y In April 2021, he launched a message of happiness on his social networks: “Last pill taken 3 3/4 years after the first… I wish! You were very supportive despite all your side effects as stress and depression raged on. Though it was never a goal to cut you out of my life I think it’s about time.” Gronkjaer resurfaces and continues commenting on TV3 Sport the Premier and the Champions. At Atleti, although he was short, he left a good memory. Now Wass takes over as rojiblanco.
#happened #Gronkjaer #Atletis #Dane #crisis #psychiatric #hospital