By RYAN TOLMICH
Robbie Rogers put together a career renaissance in 2014, as the LA Galaxy star proved to be a key contributor at left back on the way to an MLS Cup victory. Rogers career resurgence has rekindled the fullback’s hopes for a U.S. Men’s National Team call-up, but the 27-year-old will need to mend some personal relationships beforehand.
Rogers, who made his last international appearance in 2011, told ESPN that he has yet to hear from U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann since coming out as gay in February 2013. The LA Galaxy fullback, who had a friendship with Klinsmann that dates back to childhood, is hoping to hear from the head coach after years of relative silence.
“I haven’t spoken to Jurgen. When I was coming out, it was to a very small group of people: my family, then some of my teammates like Sacha Kljestan, Brad Evans,” Rogers said. “Jurgen was one of the guys that I tried to get in contact with — email, messages, stuff like that. And I haven’t heard from him.
“I don’t know how he feels about me as a soccer player. I don’t know how he feels about the whole situation. But I’m sure I’ll speak with him and I know he said there is an open door for me with the national team. That’s cool I guess. We’ll see how the season goes and if I continue to improve as a left-back, I’d love to play on the national team and have that conversation with Jurgen.”
Rogers went on to admit that repairing his relationship with Klinsmann is more important to him that representing his country. The fullback cited Klinsmann as a key contributor to his early career decisions, and Rogers insists that there are still topics that need to be broached before the national team becomes a realistic option again.
“Of course I want to play for the national team but I think I need to have that conversation. I’ve know him since I was 12 or 13 years old,” Rogers said. “So I think him and I need to have a live conversation if he’s interested. I think that’s more important to me than playing on the national team. My coming out, for me was very personal. I was in a really dark place in my life, where I was really struggling.
“Jurgen wrote my letter to get to Leeds, for me to get a work permit. He was one of the guys who spoke to my mom about whether I should go to residency or not. He used to drive me to Galaxy training when I was younger. He really helped my throughout my career, so I think I need to have that conversation.”
Another conversation Rogers insists needs to be had involves FIFA and the upcoming World Cups. Rogers believes that FIFA has not done enough to protect LBGT athletes and fans with its choices of Russia and Qatar as hosts of the next tournaments.
Russia and Qatar both have laws in place against homosexuality, and Rogers insists that FIFA’s choice of two nations that aren’t sensitive to gay rights is a statement of how much FIFA cares about the LBGT community.
“I think about the role that FIFA plays and their sensitivity to the LGBT community — not only the LGBT community but to human rights in different countries,” Rogers said. “I mean, if you read their mission statement on their website it talks about using football to promote education and human rights.
“So to then to have the World Cup in countries that don’t support human rights and especially the LGBT community, of course it crosses my mind.”
Rogers says that FIFA should institute some type of guideline system for its athletes and fans in order to protect everyone involved in such a global event.
“I think people need to start talking about it now. We waited until the last six months before the Russian Olympics to bring up the issue.
“I think now they should bring up the topic and they should start speaking to FIFA about creating a guideline of what a country needs to have to have a World Cup. There needs some kind of guideline of how to protect the athletes and gay fans.”
—
What do you make of Rogers comments on Klinsmann? Do you expect Rogers to be in the USMNT picture in 2015? What should FIFA do to protect the LBGT community?
Share your thoughts below.
Robbie don’t wait by the phone all day, you need to move on! Jurgen can be really inconsiderate sometimes. It was probably just a one time thing.
Current LB Depth Chart:
1. Garza
2. Chandler
3. Johnson
Then in no particular order you have Sinovic, Lichaj and maybe Parkhurst.
I don’t see him better than the top 3 or Lichaj or Parkhurst.
Gulati when will you admit that Klinsmann has very poor character and that US Soccer can and has done better
RR has publicly said that he is gay. So, of course he feels strongly about anti-homosexuality laws in places like Qatar. What could be more obvious?
and if he has not heard from Klinsmann and he wants a call up to USMNT then of course he will say he wants to talk to Klinsmann.
in my opinion, “nothing to see here.”
Can someone shut this guy up and just give him the Ballon d’Or already…
Sorry Robbie but the only reason you ended up in LA is because the Galaxy needed to pander to the LGTH crowd and unfortunately for you the USNT doesn’t need to do that. Also, athletes should keep their political views to themselves.
^^^This^^^
I’m sorry when was being or supporting LGBT a political view. It’s a human rights movement.
Rogers is right about FIFA’s commitment to gay rights. It may be a bit self-serving for him to call it out, FIFA does not do very well with racism either. On both counts neither Qatar nor Russia should have been eligible to even propose a bid for the WC if FIFA were serious.
Sorry Robbie Rogers, but we are not ready to discuss the human rights abuses that Russia and Qatar commit on the LGBT community, and how FIFA doesn’t care. Just look to the SBI comments here – many would rather talk ratings and depth of your position as a cryptic way to show you disapproval. Some flat out say it in no uncertain terms.
I just love the way the internet reveals such widespead lack of civility – especially with respect to diversity and human liberty. This, one day after MLK celebrations reminds me why I only ever have a fleeting hope for humanity.SMH.
Try it a third time. I think it’ll work
Probably a Comments section bot of some kind. Someone keeps pressing its “Rewind” and “Play” buttons, and all the “Queer Studies” classroom lectures’ buzzwords come vomiting out all over again. They should recode it to detect the difference between a sports site and HuffPo or MSNBC.com.
Lame by Rogers to be using SBI soccer for his hommosexual excuses. Then jumping on FIFA to get some ink time? even lamer…. perhaps his skills can do the talking for Rogers…
Alternatively, you could grow a brain, and realize that Rogers didn’t “use SBI soccer” for anything, given the interview was actually conducted with ESPN, and merely reported by SBI.
But don’t worry dude… you definitely look very intelligent and credible right now, regardless.
JK has been his friend and mentored him since age 12. And when he comes out he disappears? Doesn’t return his calls? His emails? That’s the story here. JK has a lot of explaining to do. Not to us or the press – but to Rogers. I think less of Klismann.
+1
Can we go ahead and admit that the Rogers/Magee swap was nowhere near as bad as people were calling it and that the Galaxy might have indeed actually gotten the better player (especially considering future contributions)?
You know the future? Impressive.
With only 17 appearances last year because of injury, you can see Mikey’s age coming into play. Magee was my favorite player on the team and I was pissed when we traded for him but now after I’ve seen it play out, it wasn’t as bad as many made it out to be. If we still have Magee, Gyasi gets left to the bench and we got 26 appearances and 16 goals out of him. Magee’s best year was 15 goals and that was at 28 years old. So to agree with The Lamb, It looks like taking the younger Rogers and getting Gyasi into the starting line up, will play out better in the present and future.
Don’t forget that the Galaxy got Baggio Husidic in the trade as well. Still a win for Chicago, but considering Magee’s request, his age and cost, and the emergency of Zardes……this trade worked out not so bad for the Galaxy.
it did work out. when Magee was traded the Galaxy missed him big time in the playoffs that year and Rogers was a no show. this year it turned around and Husidic is also a competitor
two years ago there was good reason to not like this trade but to Rogers’ credit he turned it around. it needed to be turned around too
Certainly, this year went a very long way toward vindicating a trade that initially seemed absurd. Shows that trades sometimes take a while to properly evaluate
Rogers is *very* good value as a competent, non-DP fullback with potentially 3-5 years of “prime” years in front of him. These are very difficult assets to find in MLS, and the Galaxy have consitently done a super job of filling out their team with these types of players during their recent period of success. Magee had himself been a prime example of this, but circumstances changed and I’m not sure how long the Galaxy could have kept him on in his secondary/supporting role, anyway.
More and more, I think we will see that the most successful teams (in terms of competitive results and silverware) are those than can find and cultivate these kinds of opportunities. High profile DP’s are nice, and probably a prerequisite going forward for teams hoping to make a push year-in, year-out for an MLS Cup or Supporters Shield, but they guarantee nothing, particularly when 5-7 clubs are effectively doing the same thing as far as spending on stars. Finding creative solutions that maximize the value from guys like Rogers is a major reason the Galaxy have had such success.
excellent post, spot on, and it’s how the Galaxy have made things work with guys like Juninho and Marcelo, AJ and Gargan (where did his season come from? wow), Penedo and Zardes, and others including Rogers now too
All I read was the start of “he won’t pick me because I’m gay” articles to come
So, Klinsmann won’t rreturn his calls and some tired old line about how every country in the world should have the same laws we do.
Moving on. Nothing to see here.
Starting left back for the reigning MLS champs and people think he doesn’t rank in the top tier of MLS backs? Please. I’d rather see Klinsi try Rodgers at left back before he tries Chandler again.
And needy? For him to want a conversation with a mentor figure he’s known personally since he was 13, 14 years old? Klinsmann had no trouble offering career advice to him then, which makes his silence all the more heavy now.
Does he leapfrog over Greg Garza in the depth chart? No. But if we can talk about Chris Klute deserving a look with the Nats, we can talk about Rodgers. I don’t think Rodgers should get any MORE credit as a soccer player for being gay, not in terms of his athletic, soccer IQ, and technical qualities, anyways. But he damn sure doesn’t deserve any less credit, now that he’s come out. He’s turning into a great left back and he’ll be in the prime of his career when Russia rolls around. It would be weird if Klinsmann didn’t check him out.
Did you really just say you’d rather see Rogers over Chandler… Wow, see kids, crack is whack.
Klute > Rogers. He’s more athletic, better on the ball, and a few years younger.
+1 I’m not sure where this needy sh@t comes from. If you had a family friend/mentor that you’ve known for 15 years and you come out as gay and don’t hear from he/she, I might question it too. Also, I didn’t read anywhere Robbie said that he deserved to be in the team but from someone who watched/attended everyone of his games last year, he’s more than deserving of a look. I rank Garza ahead of him defensively but he doesn’t offer much going forward. I think overall Greg is better but different situations call for different options. All this hate lends me to believe there’s something deep down in people that goes farther than his play on the field.
Who the hell is Rodgers? and what does he have to do with this?
If you are going to call people out, spell check/fact check first.
You must go to sleep giving yourself a pat on the back!
I agree, no one is saying he needs to start, but he deserves a look at some point.
Regarding FIFA’s position on human rights: Sorry, Robbie, but you’re fighting a futile battle. FIFA loves money more than it values human rights. And it just so happens Qatar and Russia are flush with money. (Well, Russia’s money is worth a lot less now than in 2010, but I digress…)
Qatar doesn’t have two sh*ts to give about human rights. It’s demonstrated as much by working its South Asian contract laborers to death – literally. And the only thing Qatar cares about more than its oil money is its fundamentalist take on Islam. Gay rights in Qatar? Nope.
I think the real bottomline i get from this story is that klinsi comes off as a real prick. If all this is true, that means that one of this guys father-figures and family friends turned his back on him when he needed him most. However as far as the present day is concerned I think you need to keep rogers out of this team unless he is head and shoulders one of our best options. It’s sad to say but in this age of espn polarization it would disrupt the other players on the squad a bit too much. Kind of the effect that tebow and michael sam had in the NFL. Although i believe it would be on a higher scale due to the international nature and traveling to other nations that outlaw homosexuality. Right now although i think he may be a step above some other lbs in MLS such as klute and sinovic, i dont think it is worth the risk right now. However it would have been nice to see some established left backs, or outside backs in general in this camp.
…If he’s better than the other guys being brought in, then let him play.
…If he’s not better than the other guys being brought in, then leave him out.
Who cares what other Nations say and/or do..Furthermore, no one outside of the MLS/USMNT circles knows about Rodgers.
Don’t think its a big deal at all.
You hit the nail on the head. “Klinsi,” is a world class prick.
I don’t expect any real success, or most importantly chemistry, while he’s at the helm.
Almost everyone in the US pool has been marginalized by this egomaniac, including our best player ever. Klinnsmann was a great striker, but a man of very questionable ethics.
Sadly, at least for Rogers, I think JK is not the kind of guy who values or can even relate to personal relationships. I doubt few of the players JK coached expect, or even want, a continuing relationship with him. In contrast Bradley and Arena continue to keep in touch with players they coached in the past.
I have some bad news for you…. pretty much every top manager in world soccer probably qualifies as a pr*ck by your standard.
Think Donovan got “marginalized”? Have a look at what Mourinho, Ferguson, Capello, Guardiola, whoever do with talents far more accomplished than LD on an almost regular basis. These guys have no problem benching World Cup winners, national team legends, and club stalwarts…. leaving them out of the side entirely for cup finals, shipping them out of the country on hasitly-arranged transfers, or forcing them to train with the youth/reserve side for months on end before dumping them entirely…. often for perceived infractions far less than an unapproved sabbatical. And yet, none of this resulted in any shortage of team achievement or silverware.
This is the reality of the game. I’m not sure what qualfies as “real success” for you…. if you expecting us to win a World Cup, then yes, you will probably find that this does not happen under JK. Or Mourinho. Or Jesus Christ himself. But thus far we have met/exceeded expectations in every competition we have entered under Klinsmann.
Sure, he has an ego. A big one. Obnoxious at times. Lots of great leaders in all sorts of fields have insane egos. And to the extent it becomes a barrier to achievement (this does happen for some), then yes, there is a problem. Thus far, that is not what the competitive results have told us, most of which have reflected consistent and in many cases unprecedented success
I hear what you’re saying, but a big difference is that those other coaches you mention have depth depth and then more depth to choose from, whereas the USMNT is the opposite, including last year’s USMNT, which had a dearth of talent and a group of players who went to Brazil to do nothing, basically. different equation
This is one needy dude.
He has a little sense of entitlement me thinks
I agree – I have seen him play at back a number of times and would not rate him in the top tier of MLS backs.
Feel free to name a better left back in the MLS. Or five. Or however many you have in your top tier.
1. Beasley
2. Miller
3. Wingert
4. Sinovic
5. Morrow
and add:
Segares
Morgan
Korb
Kemp starts over Korb for a reason, but they’re both great.
Morgan and Segares? Lol, no
WhoScored had Rogers as the highest rated LB at the end of the season.
I would take Waylon Francis over all of them
Really?….he’s played 3/4 of 1 season at LB and now he is in top 5 of LB’s in all of MLS?…Dude, he was formidable (yet very replaceable) last year for the Galaxy on their Championship run. C’mon let’s be real here he’s no world beater at LB (not even in MLS).
http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/pnz3ku936ewxm09t48tetg/Show/League-Focus-MLS-2014-Team-of-the-Season
Well, there you go. No need for Klinsmann to watch games anymore. Just make sure he picks up the latest issue of “We’re not coaches but we’re opinionated” weekly. that shoud be enough to put a team together.
First it’s not an opinion, it’s just the top players based on there statistical rating system. Of coarse stats aren’t everything and can be at times misleading.
Also Klinsmann already said he would have called him in if not for trying to prepare a team for the Olympics. My point was more for those trying to say he’s not even been a top 5 LB this year.
the comments with regards to coach klinsmann and the national team are more than a little strange. wanting to have a conversation with the coach, more than wanting to represent the national team???? WTF
Sorry Robbie Rogers, but we are not ready to discuss the human rights abuses that Russia and Qatar commit on the LGBT community, and how FIFA doesn’t care. Just look to the SBI comments here – many would rather talk ratings and depth of your position as a cryptic way to show you disapproval. Some flat out say it in no uncertain terms.
I just love the way the internet reveals such widespead lack of civility – especially with respect to diversity and human liberty. This, one day after MLK celebrations reminds me why I only ever have a fleeting hope for humanity.
Darwin
One of the premises noted at the beginning of the article is that RR has played himself back into contention for a call up with the nats, but needs to mend personal relationships first. It seems entirely reasonable for folks to comment on whether they feel that his play warrants a call up more than others playing the same position.
By commenting about the soccer aspect, and not the other comment worthy aspects of the article (RR’s relationship with JK, human rights abuses in Russia and Qatar, FIFAs lack of backbone, etc), it seems you draw the conclusion that the internet has revealed this inherent societal characteristic of “widespead lack of civility – especially with respect to diversity and human liberty”.
A little much. It does not mean myself and other commenters care less about human rights abuses in Russia and Qatar, including the ones against those targeted due to their orientation. Most on this site would acknowledge human rights for all is (slightly) more important than soccer.
Furthermore, your invoking of MLK celebrations is misguided. I understand it as an attempt to somehow shame us and our simple comments about the LB pool, but Google ‘mlk ebony mag 1958 gay’. Read the CNN AND Huffpost articles for some perspective. If a columnist gave that type of advice to a young man today, the LBGT community would be in an uproar.
Finally, cheer the F up and have some faith in society. Youre such a buzzkill!
I agree with Darwin a little about the internet being a place where some people reveal their true selves. Go on any Youtube or Yahoo/Cnn article that has even a little to do with race, and you will see a vast MAJORITY of the posters (White people) reveal themselves to be incredibly racist. Unapologetic and proudly racist. I am not even talking about comments where someone infers racism, clear cut. I am positive from my own personal experience and the experience of others that these racist posters would never show that side of themselves in the real world. They try to hide it. These are the some people that will always be the first to say something like “Black people just try to make everything about race and play the race card for any little thing”.
“cheer the F up and have some faith in society. You’re such a buzzkill!” Is exactly the type of heteronormative mindset that I am talking about. Check your privilege!
Also, anybody with a critical rationalist mindset understands that society is the very thing you should have the least bit of faith in, so yeah… I am no logical positivist.
Just someone who believes in a free and open society.
“heteronormative”
“check your privilege”
“critical rationalist”
“logical positivist”
Dude, you forgot to throw in “narrative” and “social justice”
I think the reason that Rodgers hasn’t got called up is because he is not good enough at the next level. Even as Defender.
He is athletic and has speed but lacks defensive awareness as a defender. I often felt that last year he had moments where he just looked lost at LB for the Galaxy.
Furthermore, with the emergence of Garza, I don’t think Rodgers even has a chance at making bench; just too many guys ahead of him in that position.
I was never impressed with him as winger, even when he was an all-star with Columbus.
Nothing against Robbie, just he’s not good enough. Personally, I don’t think his orientation has anything to do with him not being selected.
I completely agree. This is a total cheap shot by Rogers. Newsflash Robbie you need to be good at soccer.
Yep – we gave up Magee for him, one of the worst deals ever.
#BringBackMike
Last i saw, he just helped you win a championship.
I won’t be dismissive and say we won in spite of him, because quite frankly, he’s serviceable. But Magee > Rogers all day long. The front office wanted a PR move (which they admit to), and MM was “expendable”
He has zero chance of getting any caps in the foreseeable future.
I like Magee but the question became where he would really fit into the LA lineup going forward. Also he’s a few years older.
Plus that tiny little detail where Ferris Magee said ” I want to move back to Chicago”. The conspiracy theorists just won’t let it rest.
Who would Magee have started over in last year’s championship?
Always liked MM with Galaxy- particularly in the playoffs. I was pretty bummed to see him go. However- moving him wasn’t initiated by LA for publicity. McGee specifically requested a trade to his hometown for personal reasons and LA accommodated him with the best deal available. It’s turned out better than it first appeared. Rogers at LB… he’s a few players back in the Nats picture, but he did quite well the for LA there in his first year in the position and could be in the conversation as a backup with another year and a some improvement. I was surprised at how he did offensively, his D was at times suspect, but markedly improved. Bottom line- Galaxy looked better with him at LB than without.
As for the content in the article- I’m not a big fan at all of this kind of conversation being done in the media. Innuendo, speculation re motivation for his exclusion etc is dicey- particularly with the time he had away from the game and only one season at a new position.
Mike Magee is a nice player. He has become extremely overrated though because of one fluke season.
McGee is limited physically and somewhat technically, but is very smart, cagey with off the ball movement and a pretty damn good finisher with a knack for big goals. With attention being paid to LD, Keane, Beckham, his role with LA I think suited his tools perfectly and he came up big a times. I don’t so much see him being consistently effective over the long term as the marquee player/first option and more attention being paid to him. Admire him having the ambition though and players like this have proven people wrong in the past.
Agree. Magee came over with Bruce from NY and was his boy, it seemed at time. The talk with my fellow Galaxy season ticket holders seated around me, was why is this guy on this team? He did not start off that well until that breakout season. Rodgers also did not have a great first season with LA. Of course the myopic only see what was recently familiar to them and are still screaming about that deal. Rodgers has developed well in the LB spot and while not a superstar on his own, with the team he has created value and a spot that supports the team as a whole. There is still a lot of upside for him. I feel fairly certain that Magee never achieve what he accomplished during that great 2013. His stats will come to the mean unfortunately.
I’d say he did it for 3 seasons and in the post season more than once, too, and then the Galaxy traded him at the height of his value. still believe they could have won the MLS Cup if not trading him away that season, but Rogers came thru big this year
for all those talking smack, the fact is that teaming Rogers with LD on the left changed the Galaxy this year BIG time. Rogers totally stepped up and came thru. I know I didn’t think he could do it, but he most certainly did
+10000000000000000000
Spots on the natl team should be given based on ability and political correctness
Newsflash. He states just as much in the story:
“I don’t know how he feels about me as a soccer player… We’ll see how the season goes and if I continue to improve as a left-back, I’d love to play on the national team and have that conversation with Jurgen.”
ummm.. he said that he cared more about mending his relationship than getting the cap. Sounds like he wants Klinsmann to just talk to him!
This. I think the other posters don’t want to focus on the issue at hand, and would rather talk about Mike Magee.
The interview was not about getting another cap. RR answered the question on whether he has spoken to Klinsmann and moved on to bigger issues.
Don’t forget about Eric Lichaj as he is having a good season thus far!