Leeds United defender Luke Ayling has emotionally discussed the difficulties of living with a stammer. A stalwart at Elland Road, the 31-year-old is a tenacious right-back not shy about being the centre of attention on the field.
However, away from the pitch, Ayling could not live a more polarising life. The defender developed a speech impediment as a child and, earlier in his career, would refrain from interviews.
Ayling has admitted to enduring horrific abuse about his stutter - but now puts any negativity to the back of his mind. While confessing to still overpreparing for interviews, the fact he can conduct them in the first place was a huge step to overcome.
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“Sometimes it just looks like I don't know what I'm saying,” Ayling told Sky Sports. “Sometimes I'm a bit slower. You get people saying horrible things and taking the mick but you just have to blank that out. I don’t get bogged down by those comments. It is what it is.
“I got told that I'd be doing the press today and last week. Yeah, it is something I would think about. I would come in here with certain things that I want to say or certain ways I want to speak and then, when I get here, sometimes I've got to change the words or I go off-topic. It’s certainly something that I still think about.”
The right-back, recently awarded a new contract due to his impressive form, opened up about his fear of talking in front of an audience. His life is affected on a daily basis, with simple tasks like ordering a coffee proving problematic.
“I've never had a problem inside the dressing room, being loud and being myself on the pitch,” Ayling added. “I have no problems there. But this (an interview) is something I don't think I could ever get used to.
“Cameras on you and other people standing around, all eyes on you, it's quite scary. But I've learned that I'm here and people want to hear what I've got to say which is nice. I come here, doing these interviews and it doesn't bother me anymore.
“Still to this day, I don't go to a coffee drive-thru and stuff like that because I'm not confident in doing it. So there are still things I want to do in my everyday life now and (my stammer) holds me back but it's ok.”
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