I don't even mean that the locals were unfriendly but that there was no outlet for him to do his own thing, unlike in a large college dominated town like Columbus. Maybe a larger city like Amsterdam, Hague or Rotterdam would have been acceptable for him. A more isolated province where every club member is seen and heard a la Green Bay was probably a poor fit.
Yeah, remember that Heerenveen's stadium has a larger capacity than the town's population (at least it did back then).
if he wants to come back to the game there will be plenty of teams in England he can play for. Judging from his #rightlessintheMLS tweet I seriously doubt he'd consider coming back to MLS. Maybe now that he has this off his chest he will be a better player mentally.
I think he would have to re-apply for a work permit though unless he manages to qualify as a resident there or something. I have absolutely no idea what the rules are for that though.
One advantage of being part of the leadership of a company... they can sponsor you to work almost anywhere. He might just be the Halsey country rep in the UK now. That may or may not let him make money in other ways (I have a hard enough time with US immigration rules, citizenship requirements & FIFA nationality rules).
about being part of the soccer family... http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/the...ign=Feed:+theguardian/football/rss+(Football)
Just heard that Leeds fans at the Man City game on Saturday were chanting: "One Robbie Rogers, there's only one Robbie Rogers" (repeat) and "He shags who he wants, he shags who he wantssssssssss, he's Robbie Rogers, he shags who he wants" Both chants are common in England but Leeds fans used the last one on former manager Simon Grayson after rumors came out he was cheating on his wife with a club employee. I thought it was clever and definitely a sign of respect from the fans.
I don't know if he just doesn't want to play anymore of if his stepping away is due to coming out but I'm sure if he wants to play he'll be accepted here in US
Based on his tweets, it seems like he's done with his internship at Men's Health UK and might be heading back to the States soon. Whether he's just coming back for a visit or coming back to do something outside of soccer or coming back for another reason, I do not know. But I know he'd be welcomed back to MLS and hope he plays again.
Chicago could really use a spark. Perhaps he could provide it. Granted I don't know what kind of shape he is in but still.
The Guardian interview: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/29/robbie-rogers-coming-out-gay?CMP=twt_gu Another interview with NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/s...eels-free-after-revealing-he-is-gay.html?_r=0
Personal opinion: Sad that he has felt the need to walk away from football out of fear of the reaction he would get and a desire to not be seen as a martyr. I'd like to think we as a society have advanced to the stage where someone's sexuality is no longer an issue and myths about homosexuality have long since been dispelled, and I actually suspect the reaction would be a lot warmer than he believes, however from the comments on the Guardian interview, its clear some Neanderthals still remain.
A player is one part of the equation. The manager also has to realize he's also in a historic position that is bigger than the immediate set of upcoming games, set the tone and say, "if I hear anything disparaging from a player on this side, he's sitting the next match. If he repeats the offense, we'll look to move him on to another club" - and then apply those standards regardless of whether it's your third string keeper or your fan-favorite star striker. It takes 0-tolerance discipline to make this kind of change and it has to realize it is more important than the competition on the field.
The article does leave the door open for him to return, and he even goes on to state that we may look to train with LA....Hopefully he comes back!
What a candid, open, and honest interview. You could almost feel Robbie's pain and his struggles. But as the interview progressed a sense of relief and new found happiness just flowed thru his words. A new world has opened up for Robbie and given that platform, I have no doubt he will be successful in every aspect of his life ---- personally and professionally. It doesn't sound like he has closed the door on football. If he chooses to return, there will be many welcoming arms. I just hope he realizes that.
The only thing I wonder about is this common thought that "he could come back to MLS and play" I mean that seems to be the common refrain from journalist on twitter, etc. I am not saying a several teams wouldn't be interested but his club play has gone down hill since 08/09 season. Most Crew fans were not sad to see him leave because his play didn't warrant his PT or salary. Now I realize the possibility that he may play more free and regain some sort of form with this now out in the open. On the flip side there will be much more for him to deal with in terms of media, fans, and general scrutiny. I guess I am saying I am not 100% sure he would be an MLS starter. Also, let's not forget he hasn't played more than 30 minutes in a game since September. I know he was hurt for some of that. However, depending on how long he takes off now and the time it will take to get back into some form of playing shape. Just count me as someone not sold on the notion.
Maybe in soccer, we've reached that point. American sports, such as football, though? Hell no. Trust me, I've sat in locker rooms all through HS and semi-pro. This horrible perspective extends into society as well. It's a damn shame, too. I had to chew my boss out (with fear of being fired) for using homosexual slur terms. I'm in a corporate environment. I'm also in my homestate of MS too, but naja... The point is, at least here in the United States, we've got a long way to go before we shatter this nasty, nasty, preponderance of genuinely loathing someone because of their sexual orientation. His fears are not irrational. Damn shame.
Well gay acceptance continues to grow as people are touched personally by knowing a gay friend or family member especially among young americans. Pro Sports might be a little slower to being fully accepting, but considering there are new rookies joining the league every year the turn over of older un-accepting players with younger more accepting players could happen pretty quickly.