'I was one day away from falling into a coma': JAKE O'BRIEN, the Premier League's only diabetic player, on his brush with death, managing his condition in the dressing room - and why he was 'never close' to leaving Everton last summer

There are few sights more incendiary to the modern manager than a footballer reaching for his phone as soon as he walks through the dressing room door. So you can imagine the reaction Jake O’Brien received when he pulled out his mobile just before one half-time team talk.

But the Everton and Republic of Ireland defender had a good excuse: he’s the only Type One diabetic playing in the Premier League.

O’Brien’s body is unable to create insulin, the hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in your blood.

Loaded on his mobile is an app linked via Bluetooth to a circular device on his arm which gives a reading of his blood sugar levels. It is then that he takes out a needle and injects the necessary insulin dose into his thigh or stomach.

‘There was one guy who didn’t react too well. Mentioning no names! He was saying: "What are you doing on your phone?"' O’Brien recalls. ‘But he soon realised what it was for.’

It can also come as a shock to the uninitiated among his team-mates.

‘One or two are taken aback at first,’ he says. ‘It can be a bit confusing. “What’s he doing?’’ Or maybe those that are a little squeamish, but they soon get used to it. It's only a small needle.'

Everton and Ireland defender Jake O'Brien is the only diabetic footballer in the Premier League

O'Brien, pictured with his partner Sophie, says some of his team-mates are 'taken aback' when he injects himself with insulin (Source: Instagram/Obrienjake_)

Tracking blood glucose levels is now an everyday part of O'Brien's life but it is a life that was unwittingly put in jeopardy prior to his diagnosis at 16.

O’Brien was later told he had been just one day away from slipping into a coma when his concerned parents ushered him to the doctors near the family home in Youghal, County Cork, for a check-up.

Their sports-mad son, who had won national titles at boxing and hurling, was tired, losing weight and had an insatiable thirst despite drinking eight to nine litres of water a day. He had lost seven kilograms in just over a week. A blood test revealed his blood sugar was ten times what was considered stable and he was rushed to hospital.

‘I was told I was a day away from a coma,' says O'Brien. 'If I had gone to sleep that night without having gone to the doctor, who knows?’

He went into hospital that night weighing 53kg, or just over eight stone. Two weeks post-diagnosis he was back up to 60kg, and within two years he had put on a whopping 30kg.

'Yeah, 30kg,' laughs O'Brien. 'I know it's not normal. It must have been some grocery bill for Mum, but I was motivated to put on the weight, going to the gym all the time.

‘I was a bit naive about it all,' he deadpans. ‘I never expected to have anything but once I knew what diabetes was, I didn’t wallow in it, I took it as a positive. Everything just clicked for me physically. I just thought, "Right, now I know what’s wrong, I can get on with my life again".

‘It was a pain going in and out of hospital, but I just took it as education and wanted to get my sport back on track.

'My family are... I wouldn't say cold, but matter of fact. Supportive, obviously, but they are all sporty too, so it was just, "Get on with it".'

O'Brien's life in the Premier League would have seemed inconceivable when he fell down to 53kg as a teenager and was hospitalised

He is now an imposing 6ft 6in tall, weighing around 96kg. His physique offers no outward indication of the daily challenge he is dealing with

Today, relaxing in the cafe at Everton’s Finch Farm training complex, O’Brien is an imposing 6ft 6in tall, weighing around 96kg. His physique offers no outward indication of the daily challenge he is dealing with.

There’s a Cork-lilt to his softly spoken Irish tone. He’s polite and engaging and it’s clear he revels in the role of being a diabetes ambassador, spreading the message that diagnosis doesn’t have to end your dreams.

Such has been his impact, he has even attracted support from fans of the other club in the city.

One, six-year-old Liverpool fan Louis, reached out via Instagram to ask O’Brien how he kept up his glucose levels during a game and whether he suffered any ‘hypos’ - the expression for hypoglycemic episodes, when the blood sugar drops too low and leaves you faint or dizzy.

Louis, whose siblings Paisley and Evie also have Type One diabetes, followed up by challenging O’Brien to a penalty shootout. If the Everton man lost, he faced a forfeit, he would have to shout ‘Up the Reds’ on social media.

‘You play for the wrong team but you're still a Type One hero, and Mum says you're proof that diabetes doesn't stop you from playing at the top level,’ posted Louis.

Touched by the message, O’Brien asked Everton to invite the youngster and his family to training for a kickabout, although ultimately, we are assured they reached a compromise on the penalties forfeit.

‘I’ve struck up a rapport with some kids and groups here and in Ireland,' says O'Brien. 'They often have the same story as mine of not being sure what the future holds.

‘There’s a big misconception about diabetes over what it is and the limitations it brings.

‘Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean your dreams are over.’

‘Adrenaline is higher on match days so that can change how you feel. I may inject four times before a night game and a bit more at half-time'

‘Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean your dreams are over,’ says O'Brien, who also excelled at boxing and hurling as a boy (Source: TikTok/Everton)

The centre back credits boxing for helping discipline with his diet but underlines ‘no food is off limits, it’s just about applying common sense'.

A typical day sees him eat eggs, salmon and dates for breakfast to match his insulin doses to the carbohydrates he’s taking on around 9.30am before training. Afterwards he’ll have a light lunch at 2pm then take something back from the training ground for a light evening meal.

‘I just have to watch carbohydrates. I’ll eat more of them on match day but then work out my insulin ratio to the amount I eat and whether I need to inject more.

‘Adrenaline is higher on match days so that can change how you feel, I may inject four times before a night game and inject a bit more at half-time. If it’s not quite right you may get a bit heavy-legged or if I get a few cramps I may need a gel. But I've had no dangerous episodes.'

When World Diabetes Day dawns on Saturday, O’Brien will be fully focused on preparing to play for Ireland in Austria in the Nations League.

It will give him a chance to revert to his favoured centre back position having been asked to fill in predominantly at right back under David Moyes.

He acknowledges it's not his preferred role but dismisses rumours that he wanted to leave as a result in the summer.

'There was nothing in that,' O'Brien affirms. ‘I was never close to leaving.

'People know I'm not a natural right back but I'll play wherever I need to, to help the team. We're only a small squad so it’s important everyone chips in.

‘There’s a lot of different right backs. I see Arsenal have centre backs playing at right back so I can take pointers from them but then again, I am 6ft 6in so I’m not the average shape.’

O'Brien insists there was 'nothing in' reports that he wanted to leave Everton last summer to get more minutes at his preferred position of centre back

At least O’Brien has former Everton captain Seamus Coleman on hand for advice.

‘Seamus is a good friend. He still gives me pointers of where to be, positioning wise and seeing the game differently.'

Ireland assistant John O'Shea, a versatile defender himself in his Manchester United days, is another mentor. O’Shea and Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson were at Hill Dickinson Stadium to watch O'Brien play his part in Everton's recent Carabao Cup win over Newcastle.

'Heimir is a good guy,' says O'Brien. 'Very understanding. It's always a nice change of scenery to link up with Ireland. We've got a difficult couple of games (Austria and Kosovo) but hopefully if we get two wins it’s within reach.'

Indeed, if there's a mantra that personifies O'Brien's outlook on life, no matter what knocks you take, it is: always believe you can still achieve.

'Don’t be afraid and don’t let anything hold you back, that's what I say.'