Professional footballer declares that he is gay

[lardy]

Good for him. It's absurd that more footballers don't feel free to come out.

Like you said, it's different in all countries. I would add to that that I think the problem is greater in the changing room than the terraces.

Not sure it's absurd, it's pretty understandable. There's not much to gain.

The greater problem is the terraces rather than team mates for me, without question. Look at all the songs Brighton fans get; now imagine what would happen to an openly gay player. Thousands of people all agreeing that what someone does in their own private life is their business, when there's a chance that an opposition player could be distracted? I doubt it.

Whereas its a lot less likely a player would be confronted face to face by a team mate when probably 90% of the squad would go to his defence.

[JamesWales]

Not sure it's absurd, it's pretty understandable. There's not much to gain.

The greater problem is the terraces rather than team mates for me, without question. Look at all the songs Brighton fans get; now imagine what would happen to an openly gay player. Thousands of people all agreeing that what someone does in their own private life is their business, when there's a chance that an opposition player could be distracted? I doubt it.

Whereas its a lot less likely a player would be confronted face to face by a team mate when probably 90% of the squad would go to his defence.

Yes, absurd probably isn't the right word. I guess I mean statistically absurd, given how many professional footballers there are in the world etc. It doesn't paint football in a good light.

Personally, I really can't see mass abuse from the terraces tbh. It would be clamped down on very strongly.

[lardy]

Yes, absurd probably isn't the right word. I guess I mean statistically absurd, given how many professional footballers there are in the world etc. It doesn't paint football in a good light.

Personally, I really can't see mass abuse from the terraces tbh. It would be clamped down on very strongly.

I don't say there'd be mass abuse, but it would be a lot stronger than from team mates, which I would expect to be pretty much nothing.

[Rjk]

I don't say there'd be mass abuse, but it would be a lot stronger than from team mates, which I would expect to be pretty much nothing.

not in this country, there are other countries with a far less accepting attitude towards homosexuality.

[JamesWales]

not in this country, there are other countries with a far less accepting attitude towards homosexuality.

I think this is the issue and may be part of the issue in the changing room

I honestly think from the terraces there would be no real issues - within the context that football crowds give abuse all the time, I dont think collectively someones sexuality would make a difference apart from isolated incidents.

[lardy]

Yes, absurd probably isn't the right word. I guess I mean statistically absurd, given how many professional footballers there are in the world etc. It doesn't paint football in a good light.

Personally, I really can't see mass abuse from the terraces tbh. It would be clamped down on very strongly.

Also, what does strong clamping down look like? I remember the three black England players who missed penalties against Italy receiving a lot of racial abuse and not much clamping down.

[the other bob wilson]

Not sure it's absurd, it's pretty understandable. There's not much to gain.

The greater problem is the terraces rather than team mates for me, without question. Look at all the songs Brighton fans get; now imagine what would happen to an openly gay player. Thousands of people all agreeing that what someone does in their own private life is their business, when there's a chance that an opposition player could be distracted? I doubt it.

Whereas its a lot less likely a player would be confronted face to face by a team mate when probably 90% of the squad would go to his defence.

I think you’re right, but those who go to football matches should reflect on why it is that sportsmen and women feel comfoteble about coming out as gay in every other major sport in the world.

[lardy]

I think you’re right, but those who go to football matches should reflect on why it is that sportsmen and women feel comfoteble about coming out as gay in every other major sport in the world.

The people who will reflect on that aren't the problem, unfortunately.

[Feedback]

Not sure it's absurd, it's pretty understandable. There's not much to gain.

The greater problem is the terraces rather than team mates for me, without question. Look at all the songs Brighton fans get; now imagine what would happen to an openly gay player. Thousands of people all agreeing that what someone does in their own private life is their business, when there's a chance that an opposition player could be distracted? I doubt it.

Whereas its a lot less likely a player would be confronted face to face by a team mate when probably 90% of the squad would go to his defence.

the songs are aimed at brighton fans en masse. I doubt many football fans would target one footballer directly asking whether he is the postman or letterbox.

[JamesWales]

the songs are aimed at brighton fans en masse. I doubt many football fans would target one footballer directly asking whether he is the postman or letterbox.

Do Brighton fans still get those songs?

[lardy]

the songs are aimed at brighton fans en masse. I doubt many football fans would target one footballer directly asking whether he is the postman or letterbox.

It seems I'm in a minority, and most of us think fans would be absolutely fine about it.

So why, I wonder, is the tally of openly gay footballers in this country still zero? Obviously it's something else. Any suggestions?

[Feedback]

It seems I'm in a minority, and most of us think fans would be absolutely fine about it.

So why, I wonder, is the tally of openly gay footballers in this country still zero? Obviously it's something else. Any suggestions?

I have no idea. Most lads I know (and we're in our 40s and 50s) really couldn't give a shite about what consenting adults get up to in their own bedroom, and I'd hazard a guess most people younger than us are even less bothered than we are. So I don't really know why gay footballers don't feel comfortable coming out.

I reckon there would be quite a lot of positivity, with fans policing themselves much in the way racists are shouted down by the majority, so would the homophobes.

[delmbox]

I have no idea. Most lads I know (and we're in our 40s and 50s) really couldn't give a shite about what consenting adults get up to in their own bedroom, and I'd hazard a guess most people younger than us are even less bothered than we are. So I don't really know why gay footballers don't feel comfortable coming out.

I reckon there would be quite a lot of positivity, with fans policing themselves much in the way racists are shouted down by the majority, so would the homophobes.

I think dressing rooms would be fine bar potentially some players from countries with more backwards views, the terraces would have the occasional dickhead but social media would comfortably be the worst of all, there's some absolutely poisonous people on there