Sean Dyche believes football's attitudes to mental health are changing

The issue is back on the agenda this week with Everton winger Aaron Lennon receiving treatment for a stress-related illness after being detained under the Mental Health Act.

The Clarets chief said he expects clubs to increase the support systems in place over the coming years, but praised the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and, especially, the League Managers' Association (LMA) for their efforts.

"The LMA are accessible for that, I've not actually used it, but they do offer support if you should need it," Dyche said.

"You'll all know about the health support, I'm sure if I made a call and said I could do with some help psychologically, that would be available.

"The PFA are getting stronger with that, clubs are already, building deeper specialist care - very quickly they can open doors for players that need help.

"There is that stigma attached, and we're all guilty of it, 'oh, get on with it' - it's our generation.

"But the new generation I think will be more open minded to it, more Americanised in their thinking.

"I've never lived there, but I get the impression they're a bit more open to it.

"You don't want it to be a crutch - it's not going to help anyone, but if people need real support, you've got to do what you can do.

"The days of saying 'get on with it', are miles gone.

"Getting on with a bruised rib is different to getting on with it when you're depressed, or the anxiety is driving you mad."

Dyche said stories linking Lennon's salary and his health were irrelevant and said he expects welfare of players to become a major part of the game in the future.

"I think there will be increasing depth to support systems for players," he said.

"That might come from within clubs. It might come from the growth of the superpower players who almost have their own mini staff. I think there will be a lot more general welfare provision in the game.

"People all make that comment about footballers: ‘Well, they should be all right because they make loads of money.’ The money’s not relevant. There is a lot of pressure and a lot of scrutiny.

"I don’t know Aaron Lennon’s case but in general terms, it’s a demanding career. There’s a lot of pressure. We wish him well. That will become a big part of the game in the future."

Managers are also susceptible to the ever-increasing stresses and strains of a job in the dugout and the immediate demands often placed on bosses.

Dyche believes he is an a fortunate position at Turf Moor, but said even at Burnley expectations could occasionally confound.

"It's the most non-reality bound business, management, and it's getting worse every year," he said.

"I've only been doing it six years and it's getting worse - there's no reality to it at all, or minimal reality to anyone in any given situation.

"I speak to loads of managers and I've never heard one yet say 'no, everything's good actually, fans think we're about right and understand, the board think we're about right' - we're one of the best ones actually, there's a bit of reality here.

"But even here, we got beat by Man United and a few were 'what are we doing getting beat by Man U?'

"That's Burnley by the way, apparently we should beat Man U now.

"But our board are pretty solid, my staff, the players. But we're not the norm, it's madness out there and getting worse."

Dyche recalls the tale of an unnamed manager that he used to work with when reflecting on how the stress of the job can impact on your health.

"One manager I worked with came out of a job and saw his doctor and was told 'you do realise you should be dead'," he said.

"He immediately sent him to hospital for three days to calm him down, he'd been sacked a couple of days before and his blood pressure was ridiculous.

"It took about a month for his health to start returning.

"You don't feel it, but it's how you handle and deal with it, naturally some people are mad worriers or laid back, impatient, you can only really keep an eye on it.

"I think, with being an ex-player, you're quite in tune with your body and I know when I'm not right, I can feel it, and there's times when it affects me, but I think I balance it out well.

"It's the reality of life. I use simplistic ways, I see my friends I've known since I was five, talk to them, and it levels you out.

"When you're in the cauldron you need to get out of it, and when you're out of it, you need to access what's outside."