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Don’t let this happen again BY Tony Tighe
 The
tragic, premature death of Phil O’Donnell has once again sparked
calls for the implementation of compulsory heart tests in sport.
The ex-Celtic and Motherwell star suffered heart failure during Well’s
match with Dundee United on December 29.
Professor Stewart Hills, medical officer with the Scottish Football
Association, believes that the time has come for enforced testing on professional
athletes, a motion echoed by English PFA chief Gordon Taylor. Hill approached
the SFA regarding this situation before, without success, but will be
seeking further talks in the near future.
“Some clubs already undertake a certain amount of screening but
this would help regulate it,” said Mills. “This is something
that would have to be rolled out across the board and not just for elite
players. I have spoken to the Scottish Executive about this in the past
and I will be looking to speak to them again soon. If we are telling our
youngsters to get out and exercise then let’s make sure we are not
putting them at risk.”
Bellshill native O’Donnell joins a long list of players who have
passed away at an extremely young age. Only last August, Seville star
Antonio Puerta died after suffering several heart attacks during a league
game with Getafe. Other big-name players such as Marc-Vivien Foe and Serginho
have suffered similar fates as well as Tyrone GAA star Cormac McAnallen
who passed away at the tender age of 24 in 2004.
O’Donnell started his career with Motherwell and captured the Scottish
Cup at the sprightly age of 17, scoring a diving header in the 1991 final
victory against Dundee United.
He earned his one and only cap against Switzerland two years later and
but for his constant battle with fitness, many more would have followed.
O’Donnell’s good form did impress Celtic however and the Glasgow
giants spent £1.75million on his signature in September 1994, a
sum which remains a record fee received for the ‘Well.
His debut couldn’t have gone better for the Celts, netting twice
against Partick Thistle and he went on to capture his second Scottish
Cup the following May in the 1-0 win over Airdrie.
In 1998, he captured the sole league medal of his career, ending Rangers’
nine-year dominance of Scottish football in the process.
But injuries continued to hamper his career and he made only 89 appearances
in five seasons at the club.
An unsuccessful spell at Sheffield Wednesday ensued, before moving back
to first club Motherwell in 2004.
Current Celtic boss Gordon Strachan paid tribute to O’Donnell, saying
the whole club “felt numb” following his shock passing.
“It’s far-reaching because on Saturday night my son phoned
me and said it was shocking about Phil,” said Strachan.
“He said that when he’d gone on trial to Sheffield Wednesday,
Phil was there. When you go on trial it can be a horrible period and no-one
really takes you on board but Phil was injured at the time and he spoke
to him a lot and looked after him while he was there.
“That’s one of my children phoning to say what a smashing
fella he was, so not only has he left his mark in Scotland but on anybody
he seemed to touch.”
There was a large turnout for his funeral last Friday in Hamilton, South
Lanarkshire.
Over 500 mourners turned out to pay tribute to the 35-year-old who is
survived by his wife Eileen and four children.
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