First openly gay footballer coming out on Sunday apparently

[Gullflyinghigh]

Is it just me who finds that a very typical Ashley Cole act. "chicks only". How very manly. Good grief he is loathsome isn't he.

First rule of the internet; it's never just you. More importantly, yes, he really is immensely dislikeable.

Of course this is the case. I hope someone in football does have the courage to come out as it will do a lot of good. I take comfort from the fact that whilst there was initially a media frenzy regarding Tom Daley it very quickly died down and few people give a shit now. We're moving in the right direction but there is still someway to go especially in football.

I think the main difference between the Tom Daley situation and A.N. Footballer's is that diving events tend to be pretty much ignored by the media, so it's very easy for him to disappear into the background again. A footballer won't find it so easy!

 

[vegster]

Is it just me who finds that a very typical Ashley Cole act. "chicks only". How very manly. Good grief he is loathsome isn't he.

Ashley Cole is probably one of the greatest England left backs this country has ever produced, other than that who cares ?

 

[Guinness Boy]

I think the main difference between the Tom Daley situation and A.N. Footballer's is that diving events tend to be pretty much ignored by the media, so it's very easy for him to disappear into the background again. A footballer won't find it so easy!

He is a Saturday night reality TV show host as well. Though the show probably only has ten viewers. And nine of them are his family. As you were,

 

[dazzer6666]

Is it just me who finds that a very typical Ashley Cole act. "chicks only". How very manly. Good grief he is loathsome isn't he.

I can only think he genuinely doesn't realise what a complete tw*t this makes him sound (so yes, he is obviously thicker than a whale omelette)

 

[father_and_son]

I really hope they don't make it a MASSIVE back page story, can't they just play it all down to encourage other gay footballers to come out and not have to hide in the closet fearful of what fans might think of them.

Exact opposite - I hope it utterly dominates the sunday papers, but with huge numbers of quotes from various sporting figures - his manager, his team mates, his chairman, pundits, etc - all showing unqualified support. And I sincerely hope that there are positive scenes from the match too. with him getting an extra loud round of applause and this featuring heavily.

It needs to show that most football fans really couldn't give a sh*t about the sexuality of their teams players, just so long as they play well (and win). Then the final paragraph needs to be "Oh, and a few bigoted ars*h*les had an issue with it but were told to sit down and shut up by the rest of the crowd."

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

He is a Saturday night reality TV show host as well. Though the show probably only has ten viewers. And nine of them are his family. As you were,

Admit it, you're the 10th viewer.

 

[father_and_son]

He is a Saturday night reality TV show host as well. Though the show probably only has ten viewers. And nine of them are his family. As you were,

And my teenage step daughter who utterly loves him (and one from 1D - Niall, I think his name is) She only heard the "still likes girls" part of his coming out speech and not the rest of it.

 

[Easy 10]

How can you be "Openly Gay " if you haven't already come out ? Only saying like....

 

[Rohana]

I think people who are saying "Why does it matter? Him coming out shouldn't be news" are missing a major point.

You're a 15/16 year old boy. Your gay but scared of coming out. Your at school/college surrounded by morons, some of which aren't old enough to be mature about sexuality. Your worried about your parents will react too, so you repress your feelings, hide who you are from everyone. You love the "normal" hobbies of kids your age - One of the main ones being Football. Having a professional footballer come out, especially one who has been heard of by most people could very easily give you the confidence to come out.

Yes, sexuality should be regarded in the same way as somebodies gender, skin colour etc - something that doesn't matter, however I'm not going to slate the papers for running this story as long as it is done in a tasteful, respectful way. After all, if it helps one child come to terms with their sexuality then its a good thing, surely?

 

[Giraffe]

I also thinks it widens the discussion about homophobic abuse in football. At the moment it seems to concentrated around us, but if several players from different teams appear then it will make a different issue which the authorities will be keener to show an interest in. It can only be a step forward.

 

[vegster]

I think that about that time he was loved equally much by both genders.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Admit it, you're the 10th viewer.

It would appear not!

And my teenage step daughter who utterly loves him (and one from 1D - Niall, I think his name is) She only heard the "still likes girls" part of his coming out speech and not the rest of it.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Ashley Cole is probably one of the greatest England left backs this country has ever produced, other than that who cares ?

I'd go as far as to say the greatest (saying something when Psycho is/waa my favourite non-Albion player) but it shouldn't be that footballing talent makes everything else irrelevant.

I know that's not how the world works but look at Luis Suarez, he's bitten people, dives, handballs on the line and had the whole racist thing going on. Can you honestly say his undeniable talent makes that ok?

 

[vegster]

I'd go as far as to say the greatest (saying something when Psycho is/waa my favourite non-Albion player) but it shouldn't be that footballing talent makes everything else irrelevant.

I know that's not how the world works but look at Luis Suarez, he's bitten people, dives, handballs on the line and had the whole racist thing going on. Can you honestly say his undeniable talent makes that ok?

Yes and no, Suarez can be a nasty piece of work as regards the racism and diving and yes the biting, however, football is all about results, just so long as he keeps scoring Liverpool fans will always support him 100%. As for Ashley Cole, I struggle to think of a time when he has let his team or England down on the field of play, all his problems stem from off field incidents.

So where do we draw the line ? We don't hear of Luis Suarez shooting someone with an air rifle or getting pissed up in nightclubs and Tweeting rubbish and neither do we see Ashley Cole biting people on the pitch or abusing other players in racial tones .

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Football is ridiculously behind the times. I think we'll be amazed how little banter they get.

I could be wrong, but I'm not sure this will be the case. I think on the terraces, once the inevitable songs start up, there will be people joining in, in the name of "banter", including some on here who profess not to care.

I do hope it happens soon though, so we can get it over and done with and not have to bother about it again. Good luck to whoever does it though.

 

[Giraffe]

Football is ridiculously behind the times. I think we'll be amazed how little banter they get

I agree. The world is a different place now. We all have friends, relatives or work colleagues who are gay, and I think as a result everyone is much more aware and tolerant of other peoples lives. To abuse a footballer who comes out is akin to abusing someone you know who is gay and I can't see that happening.

Of course there will be a minority but I think they'll be loudly shouted down by the everyone. It will become as taboo as racist comments very quickly I think.

 

[symyjym]

why? does it matter

Because those clubs fans are the biggest homophobe offenders.

 

[Jim Van Winkle]

Is Tom Jones on Twitter then?

His Twitter handle is [MENTION=12318]what[/MENTION]'snewpussycat. He would have had @sexbomb but the ghost of Marilyn Monroe already has it. It's not unusual for people to follow him.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I was going to say "wouldn't it be ironic if it were to be a Brighton player".

But I would actually be quite happy if it were a Brighton Player. It would make no difference to what I thought of them at all, except maybe to increase the level of respect.

But I don't believe this "coming out" is going to happen, anyway.

 

[RowleyBirkinQ.C(deceased)]

The people who say "who cares" Are sadly wrong and being too simplistic. In "normal" circumstances they'd be correct. In this day and age, who does really care about someone's sexual persuasion, it's their business. But if a player does come out, it will be a big and very brave thing to do.
In one of the recent documentaries about homosexuality and football, they interviewed Max Clifford (yes I know) and he said he'd had about 8-10 footballers come to him asking to cover up their homosexuality and make them look like ladies men to the press.

It will be a very courageous thing to do and we should all give encouragement and support to whoever comes out first because they will sadly be given grief from some sections of paying public and opposing players who will want to sledge them during the match.