Thomas Hitzlsperger has come out

[Alex Sapphire]

waited until he retired, mind

[Ted Hughes]

Well it's a bit less windy today.

[Sister of fu]

Good on him, shame he felt that he couldnt do it why playing but I fully understand why he wouldnt.

[Wonderwall]

Good on him, shame he felt that he couldnt do it why playing but I fully understand why he wouldnt.

Well done, its getting to be almost a fully fledged premier league player...wont be long, in the next season or two for definite IMO

[mr_nool]

Good on him, shame he felt that he couldnt do it why playing but I fully understand why he wouldnt.

Well done, its getting to be almost a fully fledged premier league player...wont be long, in the next season or two for definite IMO

Sure hope so. Despite waiting till after is career it still must've taken courage to come out publicly, so good on him.
I really wonder if he was open with his sexuality to his team mates during his career. the article doesn't say.

[Chinners]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

[Alioune DVToure]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

I think the point is that a lot of promising sportspeople have probably fallen by the wayside because of anxiety regarding their sexuality, and how they would be treated because of it. I wouldn't have liked to be a gay professional footballer in the early 90s, for example. If a few high-profile players come out now and the response of the public is similar to when Gareth Thomas came out (i.e. fantastic), young people will realise that it shouldn't be such a burden and feel confident enough to pursue their dreams.

Being a professional footballer is a very public job. It's not the same as a bank clerk or a quantity surveyor coming out. That makes no difference; guys like Gareth Thomas, Tom Daley and Hitzlsperger certainly CAN.

[Chinners]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

I think the point is that a lot of promising sportspeople have probably fallen by the wayside because of anxiety regarding their sexuality, and how they would be treated because of it. I wouldn't like to have been a gay professional footballer in the early 90s, for example. If a few high-profile players come out now and the response of the public is similar to when Gareth Thomas came out (i.e. fantastic), young people will realise that it shouldn't be such a burden and feel confident enough to pursue their dreams.

If they can't feel comfortable about themselves then they quite simply will not be able to deal with the pressure of being a top sportsperson, gay or straight. Anyway I've wasted enough minutes on this.

[Alioune DVToure]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

I think the point is that a lot of promising sportspeople have probably fallen by the wayside because of anxiety regarding their sexuality, and how they would be treated because of it. I wouldn't like to have been a gay professional footballer in the early 90s, for example. If a few high-profile players come out now and the response of the public is similar to when Gareth Thomas came out (i.e. fantastic), young people will realise that it shouldn't be such a burden and feel confident enough to pursue their dreams.

If they can't feel comfortable about themselves then they quite simply will not be able to deal with the pressure of being a top sportsperson, gay or straight. Anyway I've wasted enough minutes on this.

There's a difference between feeling comfortable in yourself and not wanting to cop nasty personal abuse everywhere you go.

[patrickblue]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

You would certainly think that would be the case, but then you get people like this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25646051

[Joeythelips]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

Unfortunately there are still several billion people whose minds have yet to evolve to this level of understanding.

[Wonderwall]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

Unfortunately there are still several billion people whose minds have yet to evolve to this level of understanding.

Good job he wasnt a russian player!!

[Dunne's Half-Time Pint]

52 caps! Germany have turned it around pretty quickly in not many years...

Good on him.

@Chinners - it is a big deal because while 10% (or whatever) of the population may be gay, 0% (or so) of professional footballers have felt able to admit to it.

Football should be a force for change (e.g. at the Russia world cup 2018) not a throwback to entrenched conservatism/illiberalism/bigotry.

I'd love to see Putin's face if an openly gay world class striker put Russia out.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

I think the point is that a lot of promising sportspeople have probably fallen by the wayside because of anxiety regarding their sexuality, and how they would be treated because of it. I wouldn't like to have been a gay professional footballer in the early 90s, for example. If a few high-profile players come out now and the response of the public is similar to when Gareth Thomas came out (i.e. fantastic), young people will realise that it shouldn't be such a burden and feel confident enough to pursue their dreams.

If they can't feel comfortable about themselves then they quite simply will not be able to deal with the pressure of being a top sportsperson, gay or straight. Anyway I've wasted enough minutes on this.

There's a difference between feeling comfortable in yourself and not wanting to cop nasty personal abuse everywhere you go.

Exactly. Football fans at games sometimes can be absolute animals and behave in a manner they wouldn't normally.

[Cocacolajojo1]

If they can't feel comfortable about themselves then they quite simply will not be able to deal with the pressure of being a top sportsperson, gay or straight. Anyway I've wasted enough minutes on this.

For this to be true, no gay persons that hasn't come out have ever played professional football. If they were gay and comfortable, they would have had no problems talking about it and it would have become known sooner or later even if they didn't make a big fuss of it. Because that hasn't happend, that makes what, 3-10 gay men in the entire history of the sport. Globally. Not bloody likely.

Football would definitely gain some edge if there were gay couples involved. I know of at least one women couple on elite level who have opted to play for the same club because they were in a relationship... but the prospects of having a couple facing each other, perhaps even in a champions league final, that would be truly awesome.

[kinkylola]

gives a new perspective on his nickname 'The Hammer."

Always liked him as a player and he had a cannon of a left boot. Glad he's comfortable enough to come out, doesn't matter to me whether it had happened when he was a player as opposed to now, but he's got his whole life left to live and probably feels a massive weight off his shoulders. Happy for him.

[Sister of fu]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

I think the point is that a lot of promising sportspeople have probably fallen by the wayside because of anxiety regarding their sexuality, and how they would be treated because of it. I wouldn't like to have been a gay professional footballer in the early 90s, for example. If a few high-profile players come out now and the response of the public is similar to when Gareth Thomas came out (i.e. fantastic), young people will realise that it shouldn't be such a burden and feel confident enough to pursue their dreams.

If they can't feel comfortable about themselves then they quite simply will not be able to deal with the pressure of being a top sportsperson, gay or straight. Anyway I've wasted enough minutes on this.

Do you have an idea what its like to live your life as a complete lie and not be able to be yourself or share who you are in a relationship with?

People come out because it’s really shit living in a closet and hiding who you are. I used to pretend I had boyfriends for fuck sake due to the fear of what people might say or do. Really gets by back up when straight people say things such "as why do they have to come out" There is nothing worse than living your life as a lie.

Even to this day my Grandmother doesn’t know that I am gay, and doesn’t no that my partner is my partner. I keep it this way to keep my Mum happy as she doesn’t think my Grandmother would accept my being gay. It’s the same for my partners Gran who is 90 years old….

Say I was planning on getting married, I have to consider who I invite, Gran wouldn’t be coming for one. How many of you can say when planning a wedding you have to think about not inviting your own Grandmother?

[Chinners]

I think you misunderstand me. I'm not questioning 'coming out' all. I haven't lived my life as a complete lie either which is why I don't know what its like or understand why other people have lived a lie be it down to sexual preference, race, religion etc. People should just be themselves, feck what anyone else thinks (and yes I know thats far too simplistic)

[Nigels Tackle]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

I think the point is that a lot of promising sportspeople have probably fallen by the wayside because of anxiety regarding their sexuality, and how they would be treated because of it. I wouldn't like to have been a gay professional footballer in the early 90s, for example. If a few high-profile players come out now and the response of the public is similar to when Gareth Thomas came out (i.e. fantastic), young people will realise that it shouldn't be such a burden and feel confident enough to pursue their dreams.

If they can't feel comfortable about themselves then they quite simply will not be able to deal with the pressure of being a top sportsperson, gay or straight. Anyway I've wasted enough minutes on this.

Do you have an idea what its like to live your life as a complete lie and not be able to be yourself or share who you are in a relationship with?

People come out because it’s really shit living in a closet and hiding who you are. I used to pretend I had boyfriends for fuck sake due to the fear of what people might say or do. Really gets by back up when straight people say things such "as why do they have to come out" There is nothing worse than living your life as a lie.

Even to this day my Grandmother doesn’t know that I am gay, and doesn’t no that my partner is my partner. I keep it this way to keep my Mum happy as she doesn’t think my Grandmother would accept my being gay. It’s the same for my partners Gran who is 90 years old….

Say I was planning on getting married, I have to consider who I invite, Gran wouldn’t be coming for one. How many of you can say when planning a wedding you have to think about not inviting your own Grandmother?

i couldn't invite my grandparents to my wedding

[Alioune DVToure]

I really don't get the fuss over stuff like this, who gives a shit if he's gay, straight, bi or a virgin. His personal life is totally irrelevant to him doing his ex-professional job

I think the point is that a lot of promising sportspeople have probably fallen by the wayside because of anxiety regarding their sexuality, and how they would be treated because of it. I wouldn't like to have been a gay professional footballer in the early 90s, for example. If a few high-profile players come out now and the response of the public is similar to when Gareth Thomas came out (i.e. fantastic), young people will realise that it shouldn't be such a burden and feel confident enough to pursue their dreams.

If they can't feel comfortable about themselves then they quite simply will not be able to deal with the pressure of being a top sportsperson, gay or straight. Anyway I've wasted enough minutes on this.

Do you have an idea what its like to live your life as a complete lie and not be able to be yourself or share who you are in a relationship with?

People come out because it’s really shit living in a closet and hiding who you are. I used to pretend I had boyfriends for fuck sake due to the fear of what people might say or do. Really gets by back up when straight people say things such "as why do they have to come out" There is nothing worse than living your life as a lie.

Even to this day my Grandmother doesn’t know that I am gay, and doesn’t no that my partner is my partner. I keep it this way to keep my Mum happy as she doesn’t think my Grandmother would accept my being gay. It’s the same for my partners Gran who is 90 years old….

Say I was planning on getting married, I have to consider who I invite, Gran wouldn’t be coming for one. How many of you can say when planning a wedding you have to think about not inviting your own Grandmother?

i couldn't invite my grandparents to my wedding

Dead? Same here. My grandparents, not me, that is. Wouldn't that be spooky!