Gay Footballer comes out and retires !!

wadacrack

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/sports/soccer/robbie-rogers-a-us-soccer-player-reveals-he-is-gay.html

Probably right decision to retire the abuse from teammamtes and supporters might have been too much for the lad. makes you wonder is thee many gay men playin sports.

kensutz

At least give him some sort of respect :rolleyes:

HondaSami

I find it hard to believe he retired because he is gay, he is not the first gay sports star.

1ZRed

wadacrack wrote: »

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/sports/soccer/robbie-rogers-a-us-soccer-player-reveals-he-is-gay.html

Probably right decision to retire the abuse from teammamtes and supporters might have been too much for the lad. makes you wonder is thee many gay men playin sports, or are they too girly for that jk

Loads more, they just remain closeted because soccer is a seriously homophobic sport.

Not sure if retiring right after sends the best message in trying to tackle it but it's his call

wadacrack

HondaSami wrote: »

I find it hard to believe he retired because he is gay, he is not the first gay sports star.

Sports yes .Soemthing like tennis or golf. But Professional football would be the most forgiving of places. The "banter" would be extreme

lazygal

wadacrack wrote: »

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/sports/soccer/robbie-rogers-a-us-soccer-player-reveals-he-is-gay.html

Probably right decision to retire the abuse from teammamtes and supporters might have been too much for the lad. makes you wonder is thee many gay men playin sports, or are they too girly for that jk

What do you mean by 'too girly for that'?

kensutz

He still has an MLS contract if he decides to go back playing.

hames

1ZRed wrote: »

Not sure if retiring right after sends the best message in trying to tackle it but it's his call

True, but it's not his job to be anybody else's hero. I wouldn't envy an openly gay soccer player in the UK 3rd division.

Retiring after this announcement is itself a significant message to take heed of.

1ZRed

wadacrack wrote: »

makes you wonder is thee many gay men playin sports, or are they too girly for that jk

In fairness, if you got a tackle from me on the rugby pitch, you'd feel it

kfallon

HondaSami wrote: »

I find it hard to believe he retired because he is gay, he is not the first gay sports star.

How many openly gay current footballers do you know of?

kfallon

1ZRed wrote: »

In fairness, if you got a tackle from me on the rugby pitch, you'd feel it

Leave your 'tackle' out of this thread ffs

wadacrack

lazygal wrote: »

What do you mean by 'too girly for that'?

Its a joke. Please dont go attacking me. Gay men are perceived as being more feminine imo. A gay man would struggle to function in pro football. Justin fashanu is an example of this

Lenin Skynard

This is really going to reinforce American attitudes towards "soccer".

1ZRed

hames wrote: »

True, but it's not his job to be anybody else's hero. I wouldn't envy an openly gay soccer player in the UK 3rd division.

Retiring after this announcement is itself a significant message to take heed of.

I don't disagree. I said it was his call to make and he's not some spokesperson for the cause because it's a fecking hard thing to be and many wouldn't be up for the pressure of it.

lazygal

wadacrack wrote: »

Its a joke. Please dont go attacking me. Gay men are perceived as being more feminine imo. A gay man would struggle to function in pro football. Justin fashanu is an example of this

So you've decided to reinforce the stereotype and imply 'girly' is an insult? Nice. Well done on offending women and gay men. Why did you use a female term to make a 'joke' about a gay man? Is there something inferior about women who play sports?

Wftablueboy

kfallon wrote: »

Leave your 'tackle' out of this thread ffs

I heard he was too fond of the "tackle from behind "

ITS_A_BADGER

Its up ta him, he probably felt people would treat him differently when he came out, its sad that people feel they have to hide their sexuality to be treated equally in 2013

Hazys

wadacrack wrote: »

Its a joke. Please dont go attacking me. Gay men are perceived as being more feminine imo. A gay man would struggle to function in pro football. Justin fashanu is an example of this

Tell that to this man, he's very girly

wadacrack

lazygal wrote: »

So you've decided to reinforce the stereotype and imply 'girly' is an insult? Nice. Well done on offending women and gay men. Why did you use a female term to make a 'joke' about a gay man? Is there something inferior about women who play sports?

Relax the caks. Just a joke dont take it so seriously. Its a joke cos of the old stereotype . Like the every Irish person is drunk and fighting

efb

wadacrack wrote: »

Relax the caks. Just a joke dont take it so seriously.

It's homophobic and offensive- say it to Gareth Thomas

lazygal

wadacrack wrote: »

Relax the caks. Just a joke dont take it so seriously.

It wasn't funny. You don't get to slide out of insulting women and gay men by simply saying your use of what you clearly see as a derogatory term is a 'joke'. I think you need to grow up.

DebDynamite

wadacrack wrote: »

Its a joke. Please dont go attacking me. Gay men are perceived as being more feminine imo. A gay man would struggle to function in pro football. Justin fashanu is an example of this

In fairness, that was around 25-30 years ago. Attitudes have changed a lot since then.

wadacrack

efb wrote: »

It's homophobic and offensive- say it to Gareth Thomas

Wasnt my intention to offend

efb

Well I was.

wadacrack

DebDynamite wrote: »

In fairness, that was around 25-30 years ago. Attitudes have changes a lot since then.

Not in professional football. In other aspects yes. Zenit st Peterburg of Russia supporters group are anti gay footballers

Lenin Skynard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUzUbtIptqQ

wadacrack

efb wrote: »

Well I was.

i have edited the op

efb

wadacrack wrote: »

Not in professional football. In other aspects yes. Zenit st Peterburg of Russia supporters group are anti gay footballers

The President of Russis is anti Gay full stop

DebDynamite

wadacrack wrote: »

Not in professional football. In other aspects yes. Zenit st Peterburg of Russia supporters group are anti gay footballers

I wouldn't be using them as the best example. They're also racists, so not the most tolerant of people.

lazygal

wadacrack wrote: »

Wasnt my intention to offend

How is using a term like 'girly' about a gay man not offensive? What's funny about it, if its a joke? Is it funny that gay men act like 'girls',is that the joke?

The_Kew_Tour

Football has a problem with few things racism sexuality etc.

The problem is its a minority but it's a big enough minority to be concerned.

But it's not just football and to think otherwise would be very silly.

wadacrack

DebDynamite wrote: »

I wouldn't be using them as the best example. They're also racists, so not the most tolerant of people.

Racism is still present in english football. The report on sky proves this. Not many footballers come out for a reason

1ZRed

Hazys wrote: »

Tell that to this man, he's very girly

Similarly:

http://global3.memecdn.com/Go-Ahead-I-Dare-You_o_91185.jpg

DebDynamite

wadacrack wrote: »

Racism is still present in english football. The report on sky proves this. Not many footballers come out for a reason

Is it really that big of a problem though in English football, apart from the couple of high profile racism cases? The fact that they were so high profile shows it's not the norm. Do you think normal football supporters would allow/accept racist chanting in football grounds?

A lot of players don't come out because they don't want the hassle I suppose. They can still live their lives in privacy, whereas black players had nowhere to hide.

The_Kew_Tour

DebDynamite wrote: »

Is it really that big of a problem though in English football, apart from the couple of high profile racism cases? The fact that they were so high profile shows it not the norm. Do you think normal football supporters would allow/accept racist chanting in football grounds?

A lot of players don't come out becuase they don't want the hassle I suppose. They can still live their lives in privacy, whereas black players had nowhere to hide.

Yes it's a problem even if not huge one IMO.

It has moved on somewhat from 80's but still there.

I think it will always be there no matter how small cause it only takes one idiot from million.

wadacrack

DebDynamite wrote: »

Is it really that big of a problem though in English football, apart from the couple of high profile racism cases? The fact that they were so high profile shows it's not the norm. Do you think normal football supporters would allow/accept racist chanting in football grounds?

A lot of players don't come out because they don't want the hassle I suppose. They can still live their lives in privacy, whereas black players had nowhere to hide.

wel nto compared to european countries but it is still a problem in england. Only two black coaches at professional level.

smcgiff

wadacrack wrote: »

Its a joke. Please dont go attacking me. Gay men are perceived as being more feminine imo. A gay man would struggle to function in pro football. Justin fashanu is an example of this

What a load of bollix.

DebDynamite

wadacrack wrote: »

wel nto compared to european countries but it is still a problem in england. Only two black coaches at professional level.

I don't buy that argument. If a someone has the talent, they will progress, regardless of their colour.

wadacrack

smcgiff wrote: »

What a load of bollix.

There are no openly gay footballers playin english football. What does that tell you..There are scared to come out. many players have been accussed of being gay and had to deal with homphopic abuse . Sol campbell was always accused of being gay whne he wasnt

wadacrack

DebDynamite wrote: »

I don't buy that argument. If a someone has the talent, they will progress, regardless of their colour.

I would argue more than two black peopel have te ability to coach at a high level in england

smcgiff

wadacrack wrote: »

What does that tell you..

Seriously, are you twelve? That's the conclusion you've come to.

Besides, can you imagine the diving and injury dramatics they'd get away with

DebDynamite

wadacrack wrote: »

Sol campbell was always accused of being gay whne he wasnt

Was that not just opposition fans taking the piss and signing songs about mobile phones just to wind him up? If he really was to come out, I would imagine he would've got a lot of respect. Maybe I'm naive though.

Annasopra

wadacrack wrote: »

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/sports/soccer/robbie-rogers-a-us-soccer-player-reveals-he-is-gay.html

Probably right decision to retire the abuse from teammamtes and supporters might have been too much for the lad. makes you wonder is thee many gay men playin sports.

Course there's lots of gay men playing sports!!!!!!!

DebDynamite

wadacrack wrote: »

I would argue more than two black peopel have te ability to coach at a high level in england

What's the ratio though on black players to white players who persue their coaching badges?

EDIT - this is going off topic. Apologies.

thebaz

I find it strange in the world of today - gay marriage , metrosexuals etc. - that he is the only professonal footballer who is openly gay apart from Justin Fashanu who has since died - football is not the most macho of sports anyway , with the diving and feigned injury

The_Kew_Tour

4% of Britains are Black. So having 3 coaches from my calculation is not far off the average.

wadacrack

smcgiff wrote: »

Seriously, are you twelve? That's the conclusion you've come to.

Besides, can you imagine the diving and injury dramatics they'd get away with

The numbers dont lie 2 coaches out of over 90 in Professional level are black. Racism does still exist in football in england. Your naive to think there is no racism evident in english football. Sol campbell brother was jailed for 12 mths for attacking a fan more his homophobic comments so it clearly effected him and his family

The_Kew_Tour

thebaz wrote: »

I find it strange in the world of today - gay marriage , metrosexuals etc. - that he is the only professonal footballer who is openly gay apart from Justin Fashanu who has since died - football is not the most macho of sports anyway , with the diving and feigned injury

What has Macho got to do with it?

Annasopra

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

What has Macho got to do with it?

nothing

wadacrack

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

4% of Britains are Black. So having 3 coaches from my calculation is not far off the average.

The premier laegue has amny foreign managers so not a good example. read this liek a good man http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8494513/Special-Report-Sky-Sports-News-uncovers-racism-in-football

The_Kew_Tour

wadacrack wrote: »

The premier laegue has amny foreign managers so not a good example. read this liek a good man http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8494513/Special-Report-Sky-Sports-News-uncovers-racism-in-football

I said already it has a problem bit your theory on black managers is just not accurate.