Premier League 2024/25

[kenny]

2 hours ago, Innovindil said:

...literally the only thing I can see about it is he gave an interview some time ago saying he was gay. Then came to England and has a girlfriend, and a daughter? 

 

Not quite sure what the point your trying to make is but I'm not entirely sure he counts as openly gay in the context of this dicussion. 

He was openly gay less than 3 years ago and is a League 1 footballer. I'm not sure what else he needs to do be classed as an openly gay professional?

[OntarioFox]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

 

Tbf, the fact the only example we have is a kid that's almost exclusively only played in the Northern Premier League that most people haven't heard of sort of enforces the point. 

 

If you're looking at statistical averages you'd probably expect at least a hundred or so gay or bi men in a sample size as large as the number of footballers in England's top three or four leagues and that's just looking at the first team squads. 

 

The chances of there being literally zero in the Premier League and Championship is pretty small and if there really aren't then it opens up a bunch of other questions about why. 

 

Football's diversity and it's acceptance has improved a LOT in our lifetimes but it's still got a long way to go. 

 

Certainly doesn't help that we're putting on rainbow laces one moment and then selling the sport to oil states where homosexuality is punishable the very next second. 

 

And there's the true elephant in the room right there. Behind closed doors I fully expect there is a pressure to hide homosexuality for fear of upsetting the EPL's "global fanbase" (read - armchair fans in African / Asian markets countries with a medieval mindset).

 

It's all about money - same reason you see the rainbow lace stuff censored on broadcasts in certain areas. It needs calling out.

[jammie82uk]

44 minutes ago, Super_horns said:

When you get pundits even with Spurs connections calling it the worse decision ever you do wonder how much pressure the appeal panel will feel to "get it right"

Although I didn’t think it was a red, It wasn’t the worse decision ever and I don’t even think it was the worse decision of the weekend either, the red card in the Rangers v Dundee united game was also a strange moment, 

 

my opinion is that it will get rescinded otherwise they are potentially setting a precedent that a cynical trip is a red card 

[The Bear]

15 minutes ago, jammie82uk said:

 

my opinion is that it will get rescinded otherwise they are potentially setting a precedent that a cynical trip is a red card 

They didn't give it for the trip, they gave it for the studs contact above the ankle. 

 

Whether you think that contact actually happened or was forceful enough to deserve a red is another matter. 

[filbertway]

15 hours ago, Super_horns said:

David Coote come out as gay and admitted he couldn’t cope hiding it .

 

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13297951/david-coote-former-premier-league-referee-apologises-for-actions-which-led-to-sacking-by-pgmol-and-comes-out-as-gay

The worst part about it all is that anyone cared about any of the things that came out. I'd love society to get to a point where all of that is just laughed off.

 

Not sure the pressure of being a closeted gay man would make you think Klopp's a bellend or do cocaine. If it does then about about 95% of the stone island brigade have got some difficult conversations at some point in the future.

 

[jammie82uk]

13 minutes ago, The Bear said:

They didn't give it for the trip, they gave it for the studs contact above the ankle. 

 

Whether you think that contact actually happened or was forceful enough to deserve a red is another matter. 

Which is the wrong decision then as it was just a trip, also according to what the commentators said who was listening to the VAR state it was given for a rake down the Achilles which never even happened, guess we will find out at some point as it’s bound to appear on the Howard Webb show 

[Jobyfox]

21 minutes ago, filbertway said:

The worst part about it all is that anyone cared about any of the things that came out. I'd love society to get to a point where all of that is just laughed off.

 

Not sure the pressure of being a closeted gay man would make you think Klopp's a bellend or do cocaine. If it does then about about 95% of the stone island brigade have got some difficult conversations at some point in the future.

 

Nah.. it’s bollox. It’s from the Phillip Schofield school of distraction.

 

If you want to illicit sympathy in this area then come out before the event and then you deserve all the support going. If you do it after you’ve been literally or metaphorically “caught with you pants down” then don’t be surprised if everyone is a bit cynical about your motives 

[Leicesterpool]

Would Coote have came out if he hadn't been sacked? If he had came out whilst he was still a ref, it would have been a pat on the back to say "good for you" while now just feels he's wanting to get a sympathy after getting caught over other things. Trying to act the victim now.

 

If honest I'm not sure why there's many gay footballers in the premier league that haven't came out, the world is changed players still get abuse even if there gay or not. 

Edited 28 January by Leicesterpool

[Lionator]

6 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

Would Coote have came out if he hadn't been sacked? If he had came out whilst he was still a ref, it would have been a pat on the back to say "good for you" while now just feels he's wanting to get a sympathy after getting caught over other things. Trying to act the victim now.

 

If honest I'm not sure why there's many gay footballers in the premier league that haven't came out, the world is changed players still get abuse even if there gay or not. 

It’s very likely that the Sun has more dirt on him or we’re going to out him themselves, as I highly doubt he’d be giving an exclusive to the Sun otherwise. It increasingly looks like it was his ex partner who took all the videos and stitched him up after their relationship ended. So obviously he should’ve been sacked but he’s been properly stitched up. I feel bad for him. 

[foxile5]

Pogba doing his incredibly mysterious and deep instagramming clues about a return to Man Utd.

 

Surely. SURELY they won't touch him for a third time?

[CosbehFox]

4 hours ago, kenny said:

He was openly gay less than 3 years ago and is a League 1 footballer. I'm not sure what else he needs to do be classed as an openly gay professional?

He’s refused all interviews and questioning in relation to it. Find it quite sad really the whole story with Kone 

 

As much as @Ric Flair knows I called him a good player very early 

[Leicesterpool]

It's interesting the women's game, it's most likely that 65% of players lesbian or bisexual. I remember speaking to player in the ladies football team, when situation came apparent when a transgender player joined the team, wasn't the case of unfair advantage etc or players getting hurt but more they felt uncomfortable getting changed in the same changing room as that individual. Of course all worked okay later on, but again at the start it raised eyebrows.

[filbertway]

8 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

It's interesting the women's game, it's most likely that 65% of players lesbian or bisexual. I remember speaking to player in the ladies football team, when situation came apparent when a transgender player joined the team, wasn't the case of unfair advantage etc or players getting hurt but more they felt uncomfortable getting changed in the same changing room as that individual. Of course all worked okay later on, but again at the start it raised eyebrows.

This is my favourite account on this site by a mile. Unironically hilarious

 

[Torquay Gunner]

 

Common sense prevails.

[Super_horns]

How predictable.

 

And it will cause even more debate now on the merits of VAR.

[Leicesterpool]

Yet michael oliver still getting the death threats

[reynard]

4 hours ago, Leicesterpool said:

Would Coote have came out if he hadn't been sacked? If he had came out whilst he was still a ref, it would have been a pat on the back to say "good for you" while now just feels he's wanting to get a sympathy after getting caught over other things. Trying to act the victim now.

 

If honest I'm not sure why there's many gay footballers in the premier league that haven't came out, the world is changed players still get abuse even if there gay or not. 

I may have this completely wrong and apologies if I do but I'm going to guess that you are not gay, that you don't have a gay son or daughter or perhaps a gay brother or sister.

Yes the world has changed, a bit, but not everywhere and not everyone. Coming to terms with your sexuality is not a straightforward thing to do. Many people take a long long time to accept their situation and some struggle very badly even in supportive loving homes. I can only speak from experience in my own very close family that, whilst being gay for some is easily dealt with, for others there are significant issues that lead to depression, anxiety and a huge loss of self esteem. From bullying at school to comments on social media, for eg, we are, I'm afraid, a long way off being in a changed world as you put it. 

I'm not condoning his behavior but I can fully understand why he ended up doing the things he did. Until the sexuality of people becomes a non-subject people will continue to hide theirs if they feel they need to protect themselves. 

[Ian Nacho]

Watched the Coote interview and to be honest if I was him I would've owned the mistakes rather than making excuses. He's not done anything terrible even it is a sackable offence given his heavily scrutinized job. 

[Leeds Fox]

His career in football is over. Whether his personal/professional stresses caused his ill judged decisions is another matter I guess. 
 

I think there’s more to this. Whether a tabloid had more on him and this is a story (not meaning made up fwiw) for them to sell rather than some other, more crippling truths? 
 

He may just be lining up a book/autobio to line his pockets.

Either way, as many have said. Excuses after the fact don’t fly. They come across as a deflecting tactic and I’d imagine, nobody actually cares.
 

 

[Leeds Fox]

13 hours ago, AKCJ said:

 

Shame we're not at a point where an active person involved with the Premier League feels comfortable coming out as gay but posts like this are probably why.

 

Men coming out of the closet should be celebrated. He's lived with it all his life and has had to hide it. I would imagine relieving himself of that pressure and anxiety (now that he's not in a job where evidently he has to hide his sexuality) is the number one reason for coming out. 

 

Don't be ridiculous. 

I agree with the sentiment but I don’t think this phrase helps with the stigma.

 

I am impartial on almost all subjects, as I can imagine this post might come across as a bit ‘soft’. Other peoples lives don’t interest me much, each to their own and all that, in all respects. However, it just reads wrong (negative connotations) for something you’re trying to champion. 

[Aus Fox]

What have all of the following from this season all got in common?

[RobHawk]

All won against spurs

[Nalis]

42 minutes ago, Aus Fox said:

What have all of the following from this season all got in common?

 

11 minutes ago, RobHawk said:

All won against spurs

The ever obliging Spurs thread on their forum must be hot all the time

[CosbehFox]

13 minutes ago, RobHawk said:

All won against spurs

Dr Spurs 

[J. James]

16 hours ago, foxile5 said:

Pogba doing his incredibly mysterious and deep instagramming clues about a return to Man Utd.

 

Surely. SURELY they won't touch him for a third time?

Haha.. Oh please, please let them, another nail in their coffin would cheer millions of people up no end.