Tackle Interview #8: Anton Hysen

“Fookin’ hell, lar!” This is not the sound of the world’s only out gay footballer bemoaning his lot in life, rather a jokey aside on his boyhood’s team’s – and his dad’s former club - erratic form this season. “I don’t know what’s going on these days" he says, clearly nonplussed by his side’s FA Cup semi-final victory 24 hours earlier.  

It wasn’t always like this. Anton Hysen was born in Liverpool on December 13^th 1990 into a city, the red half of which was still celebrating a decade of domestic football dominance, albeit tinged with personal tragedy. The same week, local indie makeweights The Farm caught the mood striking top ten gold with the anthemic ‘All Together Now’.

Over two decades later, with Hysen now settled in Sweden, it’s hard to argue that same soundtrack could be applied to the ‘new wave’ (Hysen’s own, fitting term for events of the last twelve months) of gay football activity. Yet the dark clouds of homophobia circling the game since the turn of the century have certainly dispersed a little following his spontaneous coming out in March 2011.

Much has been written, not least in these pages, concerning the impact of his decision. That it spared us from a painful waiting game involving ex-pros inching towards an announcement of their own should not be forgotten anytime soon. For any longer term impact, we may have to wait one more Olympic cycle, possibly two.

As we sit down to talk on the night another of the game’s perennial issues rages (goal line technology) it becomes quickly apparent that when Hysen isn’t mimicking his scouse heritage he speaks clearly and deliberately. It’s a voice that hints at a LA twang, but with the conviction of a 21^st century sports star who has made one of the best decisions of his life.

Which came first, realizing you were gay or wanting to be a footballer?

Well, honestly I didn’t really think about the gay stuff until I turned 18-19. It didn’t really bother me that much because football is still football and I believe that I can do whatever I want as long as I really try hard make it happen but of course people make it a bigger issue than it should be. It doesn’t bother me that much.

Did you ever feel like you had to make a choice between the two?

I would never make a choice of anything. I can be gay and play soccer and be good at it, that’s what I thought from the beginning.

Did you father’s career influence your decision to get into football or was it instinctive?

I mean obviously when you have a father who plays football its easier to get into it but I’ve never been pressured to like anything. I’ve always liked football and that’s from the beginning.

When you were straight, going out with a super model, did you ever think I can get away with this for ten, maybe fifteen years?

Not really. At the time I just wanted to be that guy that didn’t stick out so much. I just lived another life basically then thought why the hell am I doing this? It was just stupid. This is not how it’s supposed to be. So I took that choice and wanted to accept myself and do what I wanted to do.

Your parent’s reaction must have helped, not least your mum’s response, ‘No shit, Sherlock’. Possibly one of the greatest reactions to a coming out ever.

That was good. She obviously knew I had a few girlfriends that didn’t go so well. I guess a mother always knows.

Is that approach typical of Swedish parenting? Very liberal?

Yes in Sweden it’s very, very liberal nobody literally cares. I go to Stockholm and no one gives a shit basically. And that’s not only with the gay thing everything is very well taken care off. It’s a good country.

But you were born in Liverpool?

I was born in Liverpool (comedy scouse accent emerges)

Good result yesterday by the way….

We are just being lucky these days we do not play the game as well

You’re a cup sides these days…

(laughs)

If you’d have stayed in Liverpool playing at a similar level – say a Tranmere Rovers – do you think you would you have come out?

It’s very hard (distracted laughter)… I saw something on TV…  I just laughed so much….erm, I’d be out today, it would be harder since it’s a big league but I just feel someone has to stand up for themselves, it would be harder but I would have to have done what it takes.

Are you disappointed that a club like Liverpool with its huge influence doesn’t take a more pro-active stance on homophobia?

Of course they can all do a little better but first of all there has to be someone to take care of. Somebody has to obviously come out but what I would like to see is a straight player to say ‘Who gives a shit?’…you know… Joey Barton pretty much said that in the documentary (recent BBC3 documentary, ‘Britain’s Gay Footballers’)

How difficult was it when you were thinking of coming out to look around and think there is literally no-one I can talk to about this…no-one has been through this?

To be honest my own personality and how I act and how I feel… I couldn’t really care less what people think but of course it was a little ‘Oh shit’ I’m the only one right now, what’s going to happen, this and that. It's your own strength that matters and you see who are your real friends and who really cares and I can’t say that I regret anything because this has opened up my life a lot.

There must be some perks I guess?

Oh I mean I’m the first guy in Sweden to do it and second in the world to come out publicly I’m sure there are others who are out and proud somewhere.

How does a young footballer navigate the Stockholm gay scene?

That’s where I do this thing with my personality. I don’t really give a crap what anyone thinks about me or what they say or what they write but yeah of course when you are in the public area and a role model…

…you see your self as a role model?

Yeah, I mean you have to start thinking about stuff that you do but still you are a human being but yeah as you said someone might want to meet you or date you or talk to you for another reason, to use you.

And the gay scene historically has been associated with drug use, do you have to be careful?

I’m a football player so I don’t really care about that kind of stuff. I am all about my football and my friends and family. I don’t really know what that stuff is about to be honest (laughs)

How do you meet guys? Do you use Grindr?

No, no. Grindr… isn’t that for hook ups right? No I don’t use that. I rarely go to gay clubs to ‘find someone’. If I did go out I would go out to have fun with friends. I don’t really see any reason to go out and look for somebody at the clubs. If it’s going to happen it’s going to happen somewhere when you least expect it. You know I don’t try and look for things because you’ll get disappointed and I’m a very simple person so… (laughs)

The gay football community must be very small, are you in contact with people in Sweden, in the UK?

I have friends all over the world so I keep in contact with a lot of different people which is nice. I love to meet other people from around the world and get to know different languages and cultures.

And those that are not out, are you respectful of that decision?

Yes I am because everyone does not take it as easy as I do and it’s always a hard thing for everyone. It’s not easy turning around such a big secret especially if you are at a higher level. What if you are in the premier league and you have that on your mind all the time it’s not easy. But to let it go and tell everyone would be a lot easier for yourself to get better and feel good about yourself.

There seems to be a blanket of fear around the subject over here, it strikes me that you approach the situation with a much needed irreverence and sense of humour?

I just live my life and I really don’t care. I make jokes about myself and about the whole gay thing, this and that, up and down, etc, etc. People need to know that we don’t have to be all dramatic about it. If you’re just playing football and doing what you’re doing good then no one should really care. They did that now in America, they did a campaign called ‘You Can Play’ which is really good that says if you can play hockey you can play hockey, who cares what you’re doing.

In which league would a coming out have the most impact?

I’d say England is the biggest one.  That would truly show that the person really doesn’t give a shit.

Do you think you might play in England one day?

Oh my god! I would have to be a lot, lot, lot better.

Are you getting better?!

Actually if I do really well I could play in the top league in Sweden. I’ve been there before but I had some injuries and stuff so I know I could actually play at a pretty high level if I could just develop my skills I could be there one day but it’s hard work.

Finally, when do you think the next footballer will come out?

Well that’s going to take a while I would say 5-10 years.

That’s quite a long time?

Well it’s not easy for everyone and we’ve still got a lot of stuff to work on and not to be….I hate to talk about myself!…But when I did this it’s good because people are now talking about it and campaigns are starting to take it more seriously  its like a… new wave coming in. Everybody’s talking about it and it needs to be taken care of in a good way not a dramatic way, like ‘Oh my God!’

I agree with you it’s become such a heavy topic…

It’s so crazy! Playing Arsenal, Chelsea …what the fuck… whatever, if you score and do everything you need to do who gives a shit what you do outside the pitch? The thing is you have to be strong in yourself, believe in yourself there’s always going to be people that say things about you so it’s about how carry yourself. I can tell you there is at least one person in the whole world who will not like you so I couldn’t really care less about somebody who has something negative to say about me.