Piers Morgan has thrown his support behind Jake Daniels who bravely came out in a television interview, becoming the only current openly gay footballer in Britain.
Jake, who made his Blackpool debut earlier this month confirmed during a powerful Sky Sports interview that his teammates had backed his decision.
The 17-year-old is joined by Australia’s Adelaide United ace Josh Cavallo as the only two openly gay male footballers currently playing.
Just hours after his announcement, TalkTV host Piers Morgan has taken to Twitter to praise the star, resharing his interview alongside the caption: “Well done @Jake_Daniels11,” with two clapping emojis.
(Image: PA)
In his powerful interview, Jake said: “Now is the right time to do it. I feel like I am ready to tell people my story. I want people to know the real me.
“I have been thinking for a long time about how I want to do it when I want to do it. I know now is the time. I am ready to be myself, be free and be confident with it all.
“Of course, I am aware that there will be a reaction to this and some of it will be homophobic, maybe in a stadium and on social media.
(Image: Paul Dennis/TGS Photo/REX/Shutterstock)
“It’s an easy thing for people to target. The way I see it is that I am playing football and they are shouting stuff at me, but they are paying to watch me play football and I am living my life and making money from it. So shout what you want, it’s not going to make a difference.
“I won’t stop people from saying that stuff, I just need to learn how to not let it affect me.”
Meanwhile, The Nolans also took to Twitter to praise Jake, with the official Twitter account for the sisters penning: “Football is a game for everyone. @Jake_Daniels11, we stand with you.”
(Image: Sky News)
Jake said he previously felt that being gay and playing football “didn’t mix”.
He told the broadcaster: “At that age you don’t really think that football and being gay doesn’t mix. You just think, one day, when I’m older I’ll get a girlfriend and I will change and it will be fine.
“But as you get older you realise you can’t just change. It doesn’t work like that.
“I did have girlfriends in the past, to try and make all my mates think I was straight, but it was just a massive cover-up. In school people even used to ask me: ‘Are you sure you aren’t gay?’. And I would reply, ‘no, I’m not’.
“I wasn’t ready and it was a struggle but I just don’t want to lie anymore.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
