MATT Jansen today admitted he enlisted the help of a clinical psychologist in a bid to get his career back on track.

The injury-cursed Blackburn Rovers striker took the brave decision to seek professional help after he became so depressed by his failure to nail down a regular starting place last season that he almost quit professional football for good.

Jansen's mental torment began in the summer of 2002, just weeks after he agonisingly missed out on a place in Sven Goran Eriksson's England squad for the World Cup finals.

The 27-year-old was on holiday in Italy when he was involved in a motorcycle accident that left him with life-threatening head injuries.

Jansen spent the next few days in a coma and scans revealed he had suffered a mini brain haemorrhage - an injury that can leave patients permanently disabled.

Thankfully, after months of rehabilitation, the former Crystal Palace favourite went on to make a full recovery but he's been fighting to resurrect his career ever since - a battle that finally appeared to have beaten him earlier this year when he reached the point where he was ready turn his back on the game for good.

Depressed by his failure to rediscover that majestic form of old, Jansen asked for time off to consider his future.

It was during that period he began seeing a psychologist and those sessions have since convinced him to make another attempt at a comeback.

Speaking for the first time about his ordeal, Jansen said: "I was thinking of packing it all in because I was on the floor and I'd had enough.

"I was so depressed with it all. I was battling on to no avail and I became so sick with it.

"But working with the psychologist seemed to lift me and it made me think in different ways.

"It gave me a different perspective on life, it changed my whole mindset and it continues to do.

"I'm not saying I'm cured or anything, but I'm in a much better state of mind to attack it again now than I was before."

Jansen's problems appeared to stem from a lack of self-belief.

Prior to his accident, the often flamboyant forward oozed confidence, particularly during the second half of Rovers' first season back in the Premiership when he formed a deadly alliance with Andy Cole in attack.

Blackburn fans idolised him and he was playing at the peak of his powers, but then his world was turned upside down by that fateful day in Rome.

Suddenly, Jansen had to prove himself all over again and it turned out to be a long and often demoralising road back.

Instead of showcasing his talents in the first team at Old Trafford and Anfield, he was regularly turning out for the reserves at Morecambe's Christie Park.

Inevitably, his confidence started to erode over time and it dipped even further with each unsuccessful first team return.

Finally, Jansen decided a complete break was the only answer and he took three months off at the end of last season to think over his future.

It was then that he considered walking away altogether but, much to the relief of Blackburn fans, who still worship the ground he walks on, Jansen's sessions with a psychologist persuaded him to think again, and now he's going into the new season genuinely believing he can get back to where he was before his accident.

"I did a lot of soul searching in the time I had off and I went to see a clinical psychologist who has worked on my mind and confidence and all that kind of stuff," said Jansen.

"We've worked on lots of stuff and I feel that my head is right now, so it's just a case of getting match fit and my confidence back by playing.

"I feel I'm in a much better place, so watch this space.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe I could get back to where I was before so I'm going to give it another try.

"The club have been great with me, in terms of the way they've supported me, and the fans have been different class, too.

"They keep me going so we'll see what happens."

If Rovers supporters could have one wish right now then it would be to see their hero back on top note again.