Martin Boyle has revealed he sought counselling support after being axed from Australia’s World Cup squad, admitting the “emotional rollercoaster” of missing out took a significant mental toll.
The Hibernian forward was omitted from Tony Popovic’s final 26-man Socceroos squad, marking the second consecutive World Cup he has missed after injury ruled him out of Qatar 2022.
Speaking to the Edinburgh Evening News, Boyle, 33, turned to both his club and the PFA for support in the aftermath, stressing the importance of speaking openly about mental health in football.
“It was much needed,” Boyle said. “It was an emotional rollercoaster. My family were there first and foremost. They’ve seen the downs of it. I’d say I had a few dips.
“I have reached out for support, which is good. I think it's really important to talk about the mental side of football. If people are too shy or embarrassed to speak to someone, it’s important to change that.
“I’ve certainly reached out and I’m getting help at the moment, which is good. I’m thankful for the PFA that have been there for the support.”
The Easter Road favourite, who qualifies for Australia through his father, has earned international recognition since his debut in 2018 and spoke candidly about the sacrifices made during his eight-year international career.
“I devoted a good eight years to my international career, a lot of travelling, a lot of miles, sacrificing a lot, missing birthdays, my daughter’s birthdays,” he said.
“I put myself in the best position and I trained as hard as I could and did what I did for the team. Obviously, looking back, it’s a bit disappointing.
“But it’s a cut-throat industry, football. Things change and you’ve got to take it on the chin.”
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Boyle also revealed he is currently undertaking online counselling sessions, the first time he has opened up in such a way, and believes the support has helped him reset mentally.
“I am seeking a little bit of counselling, which is good. It’s online sessions,” he explained. “It’s the first ever time I’ve opened up on this. I’m taking that step forward and everyone’s supportive of it.
“Now I want to just let my football do the talking. I’m in a place where I feel adored and loved. I just want to keep giving back to this club.”
Hibs, led by manager David Gray, have rallied around Boyle following his international disappointment, with the forward returning early from a short break to rejoin his team-mates ahead of the new season.
“I came in two days early, just to be amongst the boys because that’s where I feel I’m best at,” he said. “I feel refreshed, recharged. I just want to bring that into this season and hopefully I can have a real positive one.”
Despite the setback, Boyle has not ruled out adding to his international caps, with the Asia Cup on the horizon.
“I know there’s an Asia Cup in January, so hopefully I’m still in the frame to push for that,” he said. “I’m not going to shy away from it. I want to put myself in the best position.”
For now, however, his focus remains firmly on Hibs and using the disappointment as motivation.
“I’ve got that fire in my belly,” Boyle added. “I just want to be as positive as I can and start the season off strong.”
