Ama Agbeze still struggling with mental health after being dropped from England netball World Cup team

Former England captain Ama Agbeze has revealed the extent of her mental health struggles since missing out on last year’s Netball World Cup, admitting that at times it has been difficult to even get out of bed.

Agbeze led England to a historic gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia but she was reduced to a commentator's role at last summer’s World Cup on home soil after not making the 12-strong England squad picked by Tracey Neville, the coach at the time.

Speaking after making her Severn Stars Superleague debut on Saturday the 37-year-old said she was "not closing the door" on an international return — particularly with the next Games taking place in her hometown of Birmingham in 2022 — but said it was not an option at the moment because of her state of mind.

“When I didn’t go to the World Cup, I was full-on like, ‘I’m going to get back, I’m going to show them I should have been there.’ That kind of thing. But then I was mentally not in the right space so it was a struggle just getting up every day, let alone trying to play international netball,” Agbeze told Telegraph Sport.

She adding that she had spoken to Jess Thirlby after her appointment as Neville’s successor in July but “at the moment, because I’m not that interested, there’s no point having discussions. I probably should keep communication open, tell her how I’m feeling.”

Upon signing for Severn Stars from London Pulse in the off-season, Agbeze had expressed hope the move would be good for her after a year which had included that World Cup disappointment but also persistent injuries.

Asked how she had managed to improve her mental wellbeing, an emotional Agbeze said that it was an ongoing process and stated the importance of talking and seeking help, referring to Gloucester rugby player Danny Cipriani’s decision to go public with his own problems after the death of his former girlfriend Caroline Flack’s.

“I’m still kind of in it [a tough place], a little bit,” said Agbeze. “Sometimes… I’m going to start crying… just leaning on people close to you, picking up the phone, sending them messages, just letting someone know you’re not ok [can help]. But also sometimes just staying in bed. It has been really tough.

“I guess with Caroline Flack’s death there’s been lots of talk about people in low mental state. Her ex-boyfriend came out and said he was potentially going to kill himself [in the past when he experienced his own suicidal thoughts].

“It’s really important, if you need help, speaking out and there are loads [of numbers] you can call, if you want to be anonymous. I’ve not had to call a number because I’ve got people who I message but it has been really tough.”

Agbeze’s support network now also includes her Stars team-mates, who suffered a 70-49 opening defeat to Saracens Mavericks. A charity match and a few lower league games aside, it was Agbeze’s first competitive Superleague match since May, a fact she believes also contributed to heightened anxiety.

“I think I was more nervous than I was for the England final at the Gold Coast [Commonwealth Games]. And I don’t usually get nervous. It was really hard for me to find ways to cope and deal with nerves,” she said. “It’s been such a long time between seasons that it’s almost been building up for too long.

“I am still struggling. It’s just going to be taking baby steps and putting your toes in the water and checking if it’s still hot. Hopefully, as time moves forward, I’ll get more comfortable and the water will feel amazingly beautiful and I’ll just relax. It’s just going to take time. But I’m glad I made the move to Stars and I feel comfortable and supported.”