So He's Gay? Big Deal

I REALLY want to know what everyone is making such a big fuss about. So a footballer has come out as being gay...and? We are in the 21st Century here, not back in medieval times when you would be burnt at the stake.

OK, yes, it is a tough thing for anyone to openly admit that they are gay, but for a professional sportsperson who is constantly in the public spot light being scrutinised for every move they make takes a lot of courage.

Just look at Justin Fashanu.

Although it ended in tragic circumstances for Fashanu, it does not mean it will be the same for Anton Hysen, who came out on Thursday.

"I really don't care," said the 20-year-old. "If you respect me for the person who I am and how good I am at my sport, you shouldn't care."

Truer words never spoken.

Why should we care? In a society where everyone is striving to be accepted, why should professional sportsmen and women be afraid of coming out and admitting to who they are?

A survey by Staffordshire University showed that 90% of fans would not care if a footballer openly admitted that he were gay. I wonder how many of those fans would still join in with homophobic chants if said player was up against their team.

"They can say what they want," continued the Swede, son of former Liverpool defender Glenn, "I am who I am, I don't really care. Maybe I should just go dance with them - I don't know."

The important thing for a gay professional is to have the support of their teammates, not to be shunned or cast aside because they are different. Just look at the support that cricketer Steven Davies had when he announced his homosexuality on February 27. He received the full backing of the England team, and that is what professionals need if they are going to take that final step and announce who they really are.

Why should a sportsperson be afraid or ashamed to come out for fear of being slandered and ridiculed? Just because some fat mess eating a pie on the terraces is going to hurl homophobic abuse at them. Fans who cannot accept homosexuality in sport need to take a good look at their sad, pathetic lives and realise that this is the way people choose to live their lives. They do not want to be forced into hiding because of another person's insecurity.

"I've had players over the years who were single and read books and so others [other players] said they must be gay," said former Crystal Palace manager Alan Smith. "I think being openly gay would be something very difficult to live with in football. You can get drunk and beat up your wife and that's quite acceptable, but if someone were to say 'I'm gay', it's considered awful. It's ridiculous."

Smith makes an excellent point. Why should it be considered awful when there are far more worse things going on in the game. Players cheating on their wives with hookers, international footballers shooting people on work experience with an air rifle.

It is about time the world of football - and any other sport for that matter - embraced the fact that homosexuality is a way of life.

Lion Hart

YOU know your club is struggling when Paul Hart is appointed as manager. But, it is fair to say that the 57-year-old is one of the most underrated coach in the game.

His success at Nottingham Forest as youth coach is clear to see, bringing through some of the finest talent England has to offer in the shape of Jermaine Jenas and Michael Dawson - who are both playing Champions League football with Tottenham Hotspur.

Hart was given the managerial position at the City Ground in 2001, taking over from David Platt who had left the club with spiraling debt and led Forest to the Division One Play-Off semi-finals, only to lose to Sheffield United.

Following spells at Barnsley and then Rushden and Diamonds, Hart was appointed Director of Youth Operations at Portsmouth in 2007, before taking over the reins at Fratton Park on February 9 2009 when Tony Adams was dismissed.

The following season, seven consecutive league defeats saw Pompey rooted to the foot of the Premier League and Hart's spell came to an end on November 24 with just two wins from 13, leaving the south coast club stranded and battling for relegation.

A one month stint at Queens Park Rangers was to follow before he took the managerial post at relegation stricken Crystal Palace on March 2 2010, after Neil Warnock took the Queens Park Rangers job.

With the Eagles in administration and League-Two looming, three draws from the last three games were enough to keep the south-London club up - including a dramatic last day of the season point at fellow strugglers Sheffield Wendesday, who were relegated following a 2-2 draw at Hillsborough.

Now, the former Stockport County, Blackpool, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham City and Notts County defender has taken charge at Npower League-One side Swindon Town, who are lurking precariously in the drop zone following the departure of Danny Wilson.

The club have been struggling since losing strikers Billy Paynter and Charlie Austin to Leeds and Burnley respectively.

Now, although Hart's managerial record is not one to be admired too much, we cannot deny his abilities as a coach to get the best out of young players. While a youth coach at Leeds, he produce much of the team that led the Whites to the Champions League semi-finals in 2001.

United were regarded as one of the finest teams in Europe at the time, and although players such as the prolific Mark Viduka, Rio Ferdinand and Olivier Dacourt were the spine of the team, players such as Ian Harte, Harry Kewell, Alan Smith, Paul Robinson and Stephen McPhail all had a major part to play in Leeds' bid for glory.

All of those players came through under Hart's watchful eye, so, although his managerial track record does not scream success, what he has achieved as a coach is something that deserves recognition.

He could be the man to save the Robins from relegation, but only time will tell.

Trials and Tribulations

FOLLOWING defeat in the Lancashire Derby on Saturday, Preston North End are staring relegation to Npower League One right in the face having failed to register three points since December 11.

It has been very gloomy days for North End since Iain Hume hit the winner at Deepdale in a 1-0 win against Ipswich 12 games ago, with respectable draws against high flying Queens Park Rangers and more recently Nottingham Forest the scant consolation amidst a run of terrible results.

The Lilywhites set out to avenge the 4-3 defeat suffered at Turf Moor earlier in the season where the Clarets came from 3-1 down to seal victory with three goals in six minutes following Billy Jones' red card for the visitors.

But with just three clean sheets in the league all season, the writing was on the wall for Phil Brown's men who were unable to keep their local rivals at bay.

North End are having the same problem under Brown that they had under Darren Ferguson - inability to defend. The standout result for the season has to be the 6-4 win against Leeds United at Elland Road on September 28.

Although the result was a great attacking display, it showed just how frail they are at the back. One of the more important results that Preston have had all season is a battling 4-3 win over fellow strugglers Crystal Palace on October 23.

It is a team capable of scoring goals, but the desperate need to stiffen up at the back is plain to see, as reinforced by the 4-0 defeat at home to Bristol City earlier this month.

Just two seasons ago North End made it into the Play-Offs, only to lose 2-1 on aggreagate to Sheffield United in the semi-finals. It is amazing just how much the club has fallen into ruin in such a short space of time.

After breaking into the Division One (as it was back in the day) in 2000 following a 95 point haul in Division Two - securing promotion along with Burnley, as chance would have it - the Lilywhites have failed to live up to many peoples' expectations that they would reach the Premier League.

Under the charge of the inspirational David Moyes, Preston made it to the Division One Play-Offs at the first attempt but lost out to Bolton Wanderers in the final after overcoming Birmingham City.

Three points separated Preston from the Play-Offs the following season before Moyes was appointed as Everton manager and a combination of first Kelham O'Hanlon and Craig Brown suffered two mediocre seasons with the Lancashire club.

It was to be Play-Off heartache again for the Lilywhites as Billy Davies led them to fifth place, only to be thwarted by West Ham United in 2005, as the Hammers made an instant return to the Premier League.

Sadly, it was the same old story the following season for poor Preston as this time Leeds United saw them off at the semi-final stage of the Play-Offs, in what would prove to be Davies' last game in charge of the club.

Now the club that boasted the talents of Sir Tom Finney back in the 40s is set to fall into decline after four failed attempts in the Championship Play-Offs, and tougher times are ahead you fear.