Man City can't repeat Palmer mistake with brilliant Bobb

Casemiro's break hasn't helped - Man Utd must move him on

Spurs are about to unleash their best academy star since Kane

Calafiori can be the answer to Arsenal's problem position 

Chalobah snub embodies 'shambolic' Chelsea ownership 

Messi return date ‘hidden’ from Inter Miami team-mates!

Ronaldo takes in private yacht trip with Georgina & kids

REVEALED: Man City slap huge asking price on Alvarez

De Gea open to shock Serie A transfer

Same as Juve? City relegation & title threats are ‘nonsense’

Messi's new Inter Miami team-mate revealed ahead of Leagues Cup

Vinicius shows off his iconic shirt collection

Goodman sends warning to Walker in fresh swipe at Man City star

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><ul><li>Dorsey explains 2023 campaign absence from Gotham FC</li><li>Says it was due to mental health battle</li><li>NWSL CBA allowed her to be successful during absence</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

‘It is OK to put yourself first’ - Gotham FC star Imani Dorsey opens up on mental health battle and explains stepping back from 2023 NWSL campaign

<p>The 2018 NWSL Rookie of the Year - and one-time USWNT capped player - <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/kristie-mewis-gotham-nwsl-final-ol-reign/blt727c130fb30ddc62" target="_blank">watched Gotham FC lift the 2023 NWSL championship trophy from the bench last weekend</a>, just as she did all campaign. However, it was her choice, with the support of the club, staff and her teammates.</p><p>Dorsey shared via Instagram that during 2023 she stepped back from the game this past Spring due to a mental health battle. Her absence was also supported by the NWSL's collective bargaining agreement that was ratified in 2022; the agreement provides players with up to six months of paid leave to support their mental health.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Czrqq59PfnJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=25b80d8e-153c-47fd-930e-7adad940f4ef" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
  <div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Czrqq59PfnJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=25b80d8e-153c-47fd-930e-7adad940f4ef" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">
      <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
        <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
        <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
      <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
          <g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">
            <g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000">
              <g>
                <path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path>
              </g>
            </g>
          </g>
        </svg></div>
      <div style="padding-top: 8px;">
        <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div>
      </div>
      <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
      <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
        <div>
          <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
          <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
          <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
        </div>
        <div style="margin-left: 8px;">
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
          <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div>
        </div>
        <div style="margin-left: auto;">
          <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
          <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
        <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
        <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
      </div>
    </a>
  </div>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>The 2022 NWSL CBA was ground-breaking for the league and the respective players who compete in it. For someone like Dorsey, who was in need of mental health support, she was able to rely on both the league and her team over the course of the campaign.</p><p>Over the course of the year, her social media post highlights different things she was able to do as a result of her break, describing it as 'unforgettable memories' and as a result of her choice, she walks away a 'CHAMPION.'</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Her Instagram post reads in full: "My year looked a little different than my teammates. Back in April with the help of my family I made the really hard decision to step back from soccer to focus on my mental health. While I didn’t know where this journey would take me, the time I got to spend with friends and family, exploring aspects of myself I typically had little time or capacity to enjoy, helped me better understand who I am, what I love and what makes me, me - without soccer.</p><p>"When I took a step back in April I didn’t know if I would return, but I am grateful to say my time away helped me rediscover what I love about this sport - competing, being active, and being a part of a team - and am now so excited to continue playing. As grateful as I have always been to play as a pro, it often felt like a burden rather than the privilege and opportunity it most definitely is. I may not have known where I would be come November initially, but I am so happy to see where I have ended up - and how far I have come. I am so grateful to our CBA and all the work put in by players and our PA to advocate for mental health.</p><p>"Thank you to Gotham for supporting me every step of the way and welcoming me back with open arms. And thank you to my family, friends, and everyone who has shown me love and support this year - it is really hard to be vulnerable and with your help I was able to take care of myself in a way I didn’t know I needed.</p><p>"To everyone who is struggling, who doesn’t see an end in sight and doesn’t know what to do - know that it is ok to put yourself first. Lean on the people around you and confide in those you trust. Without my family and my faith, I don’t know where I’d be right now. It is really hard to do, but sometimes it’s ok and it’s the right choice to take a step back. It gave me the perspective and energy and confidence I needed. I would never trade this journey or my decision.</p><p>"Because of it, I walk away from this year a CHAMPION, incredibly proud of who I have become along the way, all the unforgettable memories I have made, and excited for what my future holds."</p>

WHAT DORSEY SAID:

<p>The 27-year-old will now look to prepare for the 2024 campaign with the Bats, where she will hopefully make a return to the pitch. Coming off of <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/uswnt-legend-ali-krieger-winning-nwsl-title-with-gotham-fc-vs-ol-reign/blt0e9bc0cf6f8e25d7" target="_blank">their first-ever NWSL Championship</a>, Gotham has high hopes for 2024 and now, they have the biggest offseason the in the history of their organization.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR DORSEY AND GOTHAM?

‘It is OK to put yourself first’ - Gotham FC star Imani Dorsey opens up on mental health battle and explains stepping back from 2023 NWSL campaign | Goal.com English Oman

Gotham FC standout Imani Dorsey explains why she stepped back during the 2023 campaign, highlighting a mental health battle.