The Mann For The Job

DIETMAR Hamann's appointment as Stockport County manager is just the boost the club need to help steer them into the football league once more.

Hamann has a CV that boasts experience after a lengthy career which saw him lift two Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Cup with Bayern Munich, before a second UEFA Cup, two League Cups, two FA Cups and a Champions League triumph with Liverpool.

The Istanbul success under Rafa Benitez in 2005 was the icing on a fantastic career for the German who was capped 59 times by his country and scored the final goal at the old Wembley as the Germans ran out 1-0 winners over Kevin Keegan's England team.

The Hatters had a miserable campaign last season as they tumbled out of the football league for the first time in 106 years.

Under the charge of Dave Jones in 1996-97, County finished second in Division Two and also reached the semi-finals of the League Cup - beating three Premier League teams en route.

After five seasons in the second tier of English football, the Hatters were eventually relegated back to Division Two and then, not long after, to the fourth tier of English football.

In 2007-08, a 3-2 Play-Off Final victory over Rochdale saw Stockport return to League-One. However, financial trouble soon followed and after entering administration the club was taken over by the '2015 Group'.

Five wins from 46 matches saw the Hatters return to League Two in 2010, before toppling into the fifth tier after finishing bottom of the football league.

Now Hamann takes over the reigns of Ray Mathias in his first management job since retiring from professional football. The former Newcastle United midfielder was a coach at final club Milton Keynes Dons before he accepted the role of manager at Edgeley Park.

It is a shrewd appointment by Lord Snape who must surely believe that the experience Hamann will bring to the club will be invaluable. With a variety of contacts in England and across the continent, it will be interesting to see if those could be put into effect by securing the loan signings of talented young players that would surely help the Hatters back into the football league.

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.

All-Hate Diouf

CONTROVERSY seems to follow Senegal striker El-Hadji Diouf around like flies round...well, you get the picture. Last night's Old Firm derby in the Scottish FA Cup fifth round replay at Celtic Park was always going to be a fiery encounter, and it did not disappoint the neutrals.

Three red cards for visiting Rangers summed up their weak performance, but the most ridiculous one was that of Diouf, who was booked twice for dissent. First for confronting the Celtic bench, secondly for confronting centre of attention referee Calum Murray after the full-time whistle was blown.

You may recall that Diouf has had previous with Hoops fans after spitting at them during a UEFA Cup quarter-final tie in his time with Liverpool on March 13 2003. Anyone with any sort of morals in the game will agree that spitting at someone is possibly the most disgusting act a player can commit.

The 30-year old was given a two match ban by UEFA and fined just £5,000.

But, the man on loan at Ibrox from Blackburn Rovers did not learn his lesson there. Just a year later in November 2004 as a Bolton Wanderers player he spat at an 11-year-old Middlesbrough fan and even in the face of fellow professional and Portsmouth player Arjan de Zeeuw. This resulted in a three match ban from the FA and a fine of two weeks' wages by the Trotters.

Even in his time in France he was given community service after being found guilty of driving without a licence when he was at Rennes.

Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock referred to Diouf as being "lower than a sewer rat" after he alledgedly taunted Rangers' forward Jamie Mackie, who was injured on the pitch with a broken leg.

Who actually wants a player like Diouf at their club?

Everywhere he goes he causes trouble and gives the club negative publicity. Surely a player like that must have a poor effect on morale in the dressing room. To know that your club is at the centre of attention for such ridiculous, foul behaviour must make you feel ashamed.

It is no wonder the Senegal striker has had more clubs than hot meals in his time in Britain. Only one season was spent at Sunderland, while Rovers shipped him out on loan following his FA Cup discression against QPR.

A player with an attitude as poor as his will never learn because his ego is bigger than his brain.