Is the world ready for gay footballer? I doubt it! The player who once donned the colours of London clubs Queens Park
Rangers and Tottenham Hotspurs says players are scared of receiving
abuse from fans and as a result will do anything to prevent revealing
their gay status.
The Mirror last weekend revealed two Premier League stars are set to come out before the start of next season as gay, though neither player's name has been disclosed.
The Mirror last weekend revealed two Premier League stars are set to come out before the start of next season as gay, though neither player's name has been disclosed.
The news received widespread support from within the football community, with Thierry Henry in particular saying it would be great for the sport.
But former Tottenham and Newcastle midfielder Jenas, believes players have no qualms or issues with sharing a dressing room with a gay footballer for a long time now and it is only abuse from the fans that is holding gay players from coming out.
"I have never come across a single player who has come out in English football, but that's not because of players' attitudes. The place a gay player would get the most support - and the least amount of problems - is from their team-mates." He said in his column for yahoo.
"When you're in a football team you're in it together, no matter what, and every player would accept a gay team-mate with no problem whatsoever.
"It's a fear of being abused at away grounds that most prevents footballers coming out. Football is a game where we still have fans meeting up for a pre-match scrap - we're talking borderline caveman stuff. You can imagine the homophobic songs that would rear their heads if a football player came out as gay."
It should be noted that no Eenglish premier league or even British footballer has ever come out to confirm his gay status.
In 2013 American Robbie Rogers became the second male footballer based in Britain to come out. At the time he was a free agent having been released from Leeds United. After coming out, Rogers briefly retired before reversing his decision and signing for the club Los Angeles Galaxy.
Fear of abuse from fans is preventing gay footballers from coming out- Jermaine Jenas
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Oleh
healthandwealth
