Carl the Llama Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/21479520 Robbie Rogers: Ex-Leeds United and USA winger reveals he is gay United States and ex-Leeds United winger Robbie Rogers says he is "stepping away" from football after announcing he is gay. Rogers, 25, who was released by Leeds in January after a loan spell at Stevenage, is only the third footballer to publicly declare his homosexuality. "I always thought I could hide this secret. Football was my escape, my purpose, my identity," said Rogers. "Now is my time to step away. It's time to discover myself away from football." The Football Association said it would fully back Rogers, regardless of whether he continues his career. Robbie Rogers Twitter reaction Norwich's former Leeds winger Robert Snodgrass: "Full respect to Robbie Rogers coming out. Just shows there are more gay players than we think. I didn't have one indication he was gay. Respect bro." United States and Bolton midfielder Stuart Holden: "Much love and respect to my boy Robbie Rogers! Proud to be your friend bro." Leeds and Scotland striker Ross McCormack: " Wow... Fair play to Robbie Rogers for coming out. Must have took great courage!!! Take care mate and stay strong!" Northampton defender and Professional Footballers' Association chairman Clarke Carlisle: "Huge admiration for Robbie Rogers - I hope retirement is not because of this revelation, you have our respect & support wherever you go!" The California-born player, who won 18 caps for his country, made the announcement in a message posted on his personal website on Friday. "For the past 25 years I have been afraid, afraid to show who I really was because of fear," said Rogers. "Secrets can cause so much internal damage. People love to preach about honesty, how honesty is so plain and simple. Try explaining to your loved ones after 25 years you are gay. "Football hid my secret, gave me more joy than I could have ever imagined… I will always be thankful for my career. "[Now] my secret is gone, I am a free man, I can move on and live my life as my creator intended." Only two other footballers have publicly said they are gay, despite a number of high-profile male and female homosexual athletes from other sports openly discussing their sexuality in recent years. In 1990, former England Under-21 international Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer in Britain to reveal he was gay. He took his own life eight years later, aged 37. Swedish lower league player Anton Hysen, son of former Liverpool player Glenn Hysen, publicly announced his homosexuality in an interview with a Swedish football magazine in 2011. Darren Bailey, the FA's director of football governance and regulation, added: "Following the announcement by Robbie Rogers on Friday, the FA is trying to make contact with him offering our support. "Whether Robbie stays in the game or steps away for a break he has our full backing." The FA last year launched a six-point action plan to make the game more inclusive, as well as tackling homophobia and transphobia. It is a bit silly that it's such a big deal.
casablancas Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 The title of your post sounds pretty offensive if I'm honest mate.
The Doctor Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 I won't deny, the tags made me laugh. Retiring seems a bit odd for a 25 year old, sounds like he's done it on this basis as well?
acooling08 Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 The whole hysteria about some little known footballer coming out as gay seems a bit weird to me. The FA are trying to contact him to offer him support, wtf? He's come out as gay ffs not revealed he has a brain tumour.
The Year Of The Fox Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 The whole hysteria about some little known footballer coming out as gay seems a bit weird to me. The FA are trying to contact him to offer him support, wtf? He's come out as gay ffs not revealed he has a brain tumour. Precisely the FA go on like its an illness. Hardly the image they want to promote
Carl the Llama Posted 15 February 2013 Author Posted 15 February 2013 The title of your post sounds pretty offensive if I'm honest mate. What would you like me to change it to? You can have: Football's 3rd fudgepacker. 3 gay men! A footballing scandal. Bum bandits on the rise. Russia thought a meteor smashing their windows was bad, spare a thought for the anuses of this man's team mates. 3's a crowd: faggery in football.
casablancas Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 Haha. I was just saying not the most empathetic of titles. But if we're going to go no pc I like option two.
Guest Bilo Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 Robbie Rogers swings his balls in from the back would have been a good title.
Carl the Llama Posted 15 February 2013 Author Posted 15 February 2013 Just to clarify: the actual title of this thread is supposed to parody the general attitude towards gays in football that makes them such a 'rarity'. No offence intended gay people.
Soar Fox Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 Some of the things that go on in our showers after football on a Saturday and Sunday, you would think the teams I play for were gay.
Danizen Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 Some of the things that go on in our showers after football on a Saturday and Sunday, you would think the teams I play for were gay. Which side do you play for?
StanSP Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 Agree with majority of these posts. The whole idea of a footballer coming out and announcing he is gay should not be a story at all. And that's not because it's a bad thing - far from that. All I can think in my head is 'so what?'.
BoneDog Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 What would you like me to change it to? Bum bandits on the rise.
BoneDog Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 The FA are trying to contact him to offer him support, wtf? Hope he tells them to piss off. That's what a real mans man would do.
Danizen Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 Agree with majority of these posts. The whole idea of a footballer coming out and announcing he is gay should not be a story at all. And that's not because it's a bad thing - far from that. All I can think in my head is 'so what?'. It's a difficult one. Obviously the first few footballers to come out will generate media coverage and you'll get literally everybody falling over themselves to show the world how ok they are with gay footballers. This is not ideal but their intentions are good. As soon as the first high-profile player comes out (my money's on Fabio Coentrao) then it will be less of a big deal and maybe more of them will come out.
Soar Fox Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 Which side do you play for? St Andrews and Fairfield Dynamo
Jimothy Posted 15 February 2013 Posted 15 February 2013 who's footballing gay #2? Had to check wikipedia because I couldn't remember his name but it was Anton Hysen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Hys%C3%A9n The British media loved it because he was born in Liverpool, even thought nobody has heard of him.
Jordan Posted 16 February 2013 Posted 16 February 2013 The whole hysteria about some little known footballer coming out as gay seems a bit weird to me. The FA are trying to contact him to offer him support, wtf? He's come out as gay ffs not revealed he has a brain tumour. I think it is clear from Robbie Rogers' post that Rogers has dealt with a great deal of anguish over all of this. I think the FA have every right to be concerned about the well-being of its players. Precisely the FA go on like its an illness. Hardly the image they want to promote The FA just saw a healthy 25-year-old player in one of its leagues prefer to walk away from the sport in the middle of the season rather than play on as an openly gay footballer. That's not exactly a good look for the FA.
Jaspa Posted 16 February 2013 Posted 16 February 2013 The FA just saw a healthy 25-year-old player in one of its leagues prefer to walk away from the sport in the middle of the season rather than play on as an openly gay footballer. That's not exactly a good look for the FA. Think thats more to do with him just being crap Did make me laugh when I first heard the SSN announcement, something along the lines of 'moving onto bigger things'
purpleronnie Posted 16 February 2013 Posted 16 February 2013 Its sad that footballers coming out as gay is such a big story.
Fox92 Posted 16 February 2013 Posted 16 February 2013 The whole hysteria about some little known footballer coming out as gay seems a bit weird to me. The FA are trying to contact him to offer him support, wtf? He's come out as gay ffs not revealed he has a brain tumour. Exactly. I don't get why footballers have to 'announce' this.
Super_horns Posted 16 February 2013 Posted 16 February 2013 Exactly. I don't get why footballers have to 'announce' this. Because people want to show famous people (well sort of) can come out and be acceptable in public? In reality 99% of fans and players won't care but you will get the odd idiot giving anyone stick for coming out.
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