A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY

If English football’s tentative steps towards accepting openly gay players has gathered momentum in recent times, it’s come more by association than anything else. Whilst young out players are happy to name check our domestic game as part of their story, you won’t find them plying their trade here.

First there was the coming out of Anton Hysen, born in Liverpool. Then followed Robbie Roger’s blog earlier this year, penned in London. The former’s no-nonsense attitude, whilst admirable, still had to be played out from the safety of the Swedish lower leagues, his defiance dialed in via Skype. 

Roger’s circumnavigating of this country is even more intriguing. American born, he started playing football at the age of four and through his love of the game and a series of decoy girlfriends hid his sexuality while his career progressed through the ranks of the MLS. Any thoughts he may have had regarding coming out whilst a professional were no doubt put into sharper focus when he arrived at Leeds United eighteen months ago at the height of an unforgiving northern winter.

On reflection, his injury-plagued year in Yorkshire may well have awarded him vital time to think. Away from home and sidelined, Rogers found the strength, if not the location, to come out. On February 15th this year, writing online and now in London, he announced he was gay along with his immediate retirement. As chin-stroking onlookers continued to debate whether the next out gay footballer should be playing or retired, Rogers had cleared both hurdles in one jump. 

With its hint of defeatism, something about this online statement failed to convince, though. Permanent retirement at the age of 25? More likely this was an attempt to put clear water between his brief dalliance with the English game and his new found status as an out gay man - the two clearly awkward bedfellows. 

Rogers maintains he fully intended to retire before a change of heart, which may well be the case. Either way he diffused the situation expertly.  The fear (as that is the one word that dominates English football on this matter) was always that coming out would spark tabloid frenzy in the interim period between any announcement and that player’s next fixture where they would have to “run the gauntlet” (this in itself a phrase that throws up a whole host of unfounded fears).

The decision to walk away from football, however briefly, brilliantly threw everyone off the scent. Under the radar, he was able to train with LA Galaxy before signing and making his debut for them last week as a low-key substitute to the outrage of precisely no one. Gauntlet ran.

Sprinkled with stardust since Beckham’s spell at the club, it’s no surprise that Rogers picked Galaxy to re-launch his career. If any club can smooth out the uglier aspects of the game through an injection of showbiz then it’s one based in LA and, like Beckham, Roger’s looks will have helped alongside his natural ability. 

The problem for English football is that it too has transcended its origins to become part of a new showbiz elite in recent years, but without allowing openly gay footballers at its top table. While that continues to be the case it will remain a stop-off for many on the way to a more attractive destination.