Jens Lehmann, Arsenal's tempestuous former goalkeeper, has told German television that gay players who are still active in football should not come out and referred to gay footballers as "the afflicted."
He added that he would have found it weird to play alongside a gay footballer.
"I don't know what I would have thought if I'd played with a gay player: in the showers, in the (on-pitch) duels"
Lehmann, who now works as an analyst for German TV station Sky 90, said that gay footballers had nothing to gain from coming out.
He had some truly odd ruminations on what it would be like to play with a gay player.
You shower together, you have phases where it (team performance) doesn't click"
He referred to gay people as "die Betroffenon", which means "the afflicted" or "the victims." Referring to Thomas Hitzlsperger, who's decision to come out sparked the debate, Lehmann said that "he was an intelligent player and how he played would never lead you to suspect something was up."
Elsewhere, in a rambling and rather curious interview, Lehmann said that ""football is a man's game. You don't have to think too much."
Lehmann's remarks have been received sharp condemnation from German twitter machine users.
Full marks to Rob Morgan for some sterling translation work on this article.
[11 Freunde]
