Day -405. WorldCup2018 Part 1.
I'm getting the message that I don't have a future, or indeed a present, as a movie critic, so the review of the documentary I am about to watch may be short, very short. It's the story of Justin Fashanu, first openly gay footballer in England. And he played at the height of the crazy hooliganism of the early eighties. And he was black, when there were very few black players playing at the highest level in England. I'm looking forward to this......
Day -405 WorldCup2018 Part 2
I'm not a film critic but if I do watch films and I can offer an opinion if I see one I like: "it was good, go see it." Today's Toronto Hot Docs pick was 'Forbidden Games', the story of Justin Fashanu.
As the directors, Adam Darke and Jon Carey, said at the end of the screening it's the story of Justin's troubled, sad childhood, the story of him being the first £1m black footballer, the story of him being the first openly gay footballer, the story of all the reports in newspapers about his alleged sexual involvement with British MPs, the story of his relationship with his brother John and the story of his tragic death at the age of 37. There's a lot there and it should be watched.
My question to the directors was whether they are surprised that nothing has really changed in English football now. They mentioned the story of two Premier League players who were reported to be about to announce two years ago that they were gay. They never did. And, as an Aston Villa fan, I remember Thomas Hitzlsperger who revealed he is gay after he retired. When he made the announcement he said that he considered doing it when he was playing for Wolfsburg, in Germany, but was advised against it.
Nothing really has changed. It is still a taboo, in football more than any other sport, Mr Darke and Mr Carey pointed out. They were also asked about the racism problem which despite all of Fifa and UEFA's campaigns is still an issue. The recent case of Sulley Muntari and the slow reaction from the Italian FA is a sad reminder that what players in Justin Fashanu's time went through is still prevalent today.
I always break things down in my head to the simplest levels, beyond any politics or complicated socio-demographic issues and I find it hard to comprehend that it's so easy for some people to hate (yes, hate) a footballer because he is black or gay.
Beyond the scope and message of the documentary I found it interesting that Justin Fashanu was always considered the better player than his younger brother John. John Fashanu was the Fashanu I remember, probably more as the unlikely star as part of the 'Crazy Gang' Wimbledon team of the early 1990's. Justin, in my memory, was the brother who wasn't quite as good. But he apparently had the greater talent. It's just that he made a name for himself as a young player with Norwich, at about the time that Aston Villa and Brazil '82 were entering my consciousness. I didn't have time for Norwich. Justin's career started heading downhill after his £1m move to Nottingham Forest where his manager, the colourful Brian Clough didn't approve of his 'antics'. According to a football agent quoted in the film (Fashanu's? I'm not sure) Justin failed at Forest "because he was gay".
But this is my happy football period. So today's moment is Justin Fashanu scoring the goal he is best remembered for, and as the directors of 'Forbidden Games' agreed on, probably the moment that most football fans remember him for and not, sadly, as a pioneer for the rights of any minorities playing football.
I'm getting the message that I don't have a future, or indeed a present, as a movie critic, so the review of the documentary I am about to watch may be short, very short. It's the story of Justin Fashanu, first openly gay footballer in England. And he played at the height of the crazy hooliganism of the early eighties. And he was black, when there were very few black players playing at the highest level in England. I'm looking forward to this......
Day -405 WorldCup2018 Part 2
I'm not a film critic but if I do watch films and I can offer an opinion if I see one I like: "it was good, go see it." Today's Toronto Hot Docs pick was 'Forbidden Games', the story of Justin Fashanu.
As the directors, Adam Darke and Jon Carey, said at the end of the screening it's the story of Justin's troubled, sad childhood, the story of him being the first £1m black footballer, the story of him being the first openly gay footballer, the story of all the reports in newspapers about his alleged sexual involvement with British MPs, the story of his relationship with his brother John and the story of his tragic death at the age of 37. There's a lot there and it should be watched.
My question to the directors was whether they are surprised that nothing has really changed in English football now. They mentioned the story of two Premier League players who were reported to be about to announce two years ago that they were gay. They never did. And, as an Aston Villa fan, I remember Thomas Hitzlsperger who revealed he is gay after he retired. When he made the announcement he said that he considered doing it when he was playing for Wolfsburg, in Germany, but was advised against it.
Nothing really has changed. It is still a taboo, in football more than any other sport, Mr Darke and Mr Carey pointed out. They were also asked about the racism problem which despite all of Fifa and UEFA's campaigns is still an issue. The recent case of Sulley Muntari and the slow reaction from the Italian FA is a sad reminder that what players in Justin Fashanu's time went through is still prevalent today.
I always break things down in my head to the simplest levels, beyond any politics or complicated socio-demographic issues and I find it hard to comprehend that it's so easy for some people to hate (yes, hate) a footballer because he is black or gay.
Beyond the scope and message of the documentary I found it interesting that Justin Fashanu was always considered the better player than his younger brother John. John Fashanu was the Fashanu I remember, probably more as the unlikely star as part of the 'Crazy Gang' Wimbledon team of the early 1990's. Justin, in my memory, was the brother who wasn't quite as good. But he apparently had the greater talent. It's just that he made a name for himself as a young player with Norwich, at about the time that Aston Villa and Brazil '82 were entering my consciousness. I didn't have time for Norwich. Justin's career started heading downhill after his £1m move to Nottingham Forest where his manager, the colourful Brian Clough didn't approve of his 'antics'. According to a football agent quoted in the film (Fashanu's? I'm not sure) Justin failed at Forest "because he was gay".
But this is my happy football period. So today's moment is Justin Fashanu scoring the goal he is best remembered for, and as the directors of 'Forbidden Games' agreed on, probably the moment that most football fans remember him for and not, sadly, as a pioneer for the rights of any minorities playing football.
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