Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he was proud of Jake Daniels for becoming the first active professional player to come out publicly gay since 1990 and “the entire football community will support him”.

On Monday, Daniels, 17, said sky sports he felt the time had come to tell his story at the end of a season in which he scored more than 30 goals and made his professional debut in the Championship.

He now hopes to become a role model so that other players feel comfortable enough to go out, if they wish, with people from the world of football and beyond, showing their support for the teenager.

Klopp, addressing sky sports after Tuesday’s 2-1 win at Southampton, he said: “Fantastic. When I saw him speak I couldn’t believe he was 17.

“The entire football community will support him. Whatever we can do. I don’t know him, but I’m very proud of him. I am very happy for him. »

Prince William: I hope Daniels helps break down barriers

Prince William, president of the Football Association, also tweeted his support for Daniels on Tuesday afternoon.

He wrote: “Football should be a game for everyone.

“What Jake has done takes courage and hopefully will help break down barriers that have no place in our society.

“I hope your decision to speak out gives others the confidence to do the same. »

How Morton Helped Daniels: Jake the Inspiration, Not Me!

Daniels was inspired by Thetford Town ninth-tier player-manager Matt Morton before deciding to come out publicly after seeing his own history of being an openly gay man in football.

But Morton, who offered his support to Daniels in the months leading up to his departure, says he is the teenager who should be congratulated for the courage he has shown this week.

“I’m not the inspiration, he is him,” Morton told Sky Sports News. “He is a 17-year-old boy who had the courage to go on national television, just signed a professional contract and announced to the world that he is gay.

“It’s completely inspiring on a whole different level for me. I talk to Jake almost daily, most recently probably weekly, since earlier this year when he contacted me through Instagram.

“It’s been fantastic trying to help Jake just by allowing him to see my story, be able to relate to it, contact me, and then spend the last few months leaning on me on every problem under the sun you can imagine to understand this and make his own decision about his output or not, as the case may be. »

“We haven’t had a moment like this in a generation”

Liz Ward, director of programs at Stonewall, Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ human rights organisation, described it as “such a special moment for all of us who love games”.

“What a moment,” Ward said. Sports news from heaven. “I think my cheeks really hurt from all the smiles I’ve been doing for the past few days.

“We haven’t had a moment like this in a generation, and I think the last time it happened, the world was in a different place and football was in a different place.

“To be able to sit here and talk about this brave and fantastic 17-year-old boy, who is fantastic at football by the way, to be able to live his true personality and be free to be himself in the world of football. It is such an important and special moment for all of us who love the game and society. »

“A day of great importance for English football”

speaking in monday night football, gary neville he said he believed Daniels’ decision would go down in history as an important day for English football.

“I was incredibly proud to see a 17-year-old being able to do an interview of this level of quality,” Neville said. sky sports.

“You couldn’t have done this in your mid to late twenties. What you just did took incredible courage. We’ve been in the locker room for many, many years and announcing you’re gay would seem unthinkable. I can’t imagine how hard that was.

“This is a day of great importance for Jake and his family but also for English football. It will go down in history. It’s a great, great moment for football players. It’s hugely important, that.

“I was on the PFA management committee probably 15 or 20 years ago, which was a major talking point, a major topic in management committee meetings that we didn’t have a player comfortable enough to come out and say it was. gay.

“How do we deal with this? How can we fix this issue? The game didn’t handle this issue well at all. I think it’s just a matter of dealing with this issue well from the fans’ point of view.”

Carra: Blackpool an example for other clubs

Jaime Carragher he praised Blackpool’s role in helping Jake tell his story.

“I know the manager there, Neil Critchley,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “I think it’s really important, the role of the football club, if there are other players in the future, how Blackpool have done.

“Certainly Neil Critchley in this role is going to be a great support mechanism for Jake and that’s what he’s going to need going forward. He seems like he has enormous talent as a player and we expect him to do very well.

“I can only reiterate what Gary said about Jake’s courage. But it’s not just about Jake, it’s about the football club, and I think they are an example to others of how to deal when other players come out. in the future. »

“Football has a place for everyone”

Daniels cited Adelaide United’s Josh Cavallo, the only senior male professional footballer who is gay, as an inspiration behind his decision to speak out, a point the Australian said was a “wonderful feeling” after hearing the news.

“I want to stop and take a moment to salute Jake’s announcement and say how proud I am of his bravery,” he said. The Guardian.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that my story has helped Jake to be himself.

“It’s heartwarming to see the millions of people my story has influenced and inspired around the world, and to see that helping to advance the global game on every level, it’s fantastic. This world and the game of football has a place for everyone. Love will always win. »

“The reaction has been incredible”

Blackpool academy manager Ciaran Donnelly said BBC Radio Lancashire the entire club was “taken aback” by the positive response to Daniels’ announcement.

“I called Jake last night just to check on him, see how he was doing and make sure he was home with his family,” she said Tuesday morning.

“I think we are all surprised by the magnitude of the response. It’s hard to prepare, because these are uncharted waters and you don’t know what you’re getting into.

“But seeing the overwhelming positivity that’s coming out and the profile of people writing comments, I saw Harry Kane write one last night and I thought ‘wow, what a great thing’, so the reaction has been amazing.”

“I’m glad it’s been that way for Jake and we’ll see how he does in the days and weeks to come, but at first what an amazing thing he’s done for him and he’ll feel like it’s a huge weight on his shoulders.

“The positivity that comes your way will make you feel on top of the world, I’m sure. »

“Another real step forward”

Brendan Rodgers added his thoughts during his pre-match press conference in Leicester, saying: “It was another big step forward, not just in football but in society in general.

“For Jake, I’m sure he woke up this morning feeling liberated and free to lead his life as he wishes. You’ve seen the reaction of many people around the sport – football has been growing for many years and for Jake and others young people who want to go out, I hope this is the beginning. »

Jones hopes Daniels will encourage rugby players to come out

The reaction of the sports world was not limited to football either. England Rugby head coach Eddie Jones praised Daniels, saying he hoped he could inspire rugby union, where there are also few openly gay players.

“The first thing I would do would be to congratulate [Daniels] to be so brave and courageous, because the first one who does it opens the possibility for others to do it,” he said. Sky sports news.

“He should be congratulated, and if he encourages a rugby player in a similar situation to do so, we are grateful to that player. »

“Daniels will be an inspiration to many more”

DCMS Committee Chairman Julian Knight MP added: “Jake Daniels has shown immense courage in telling his story and he will be an inspiration to many other players and fans who sadly feel they cannot be themselves in a game that should be. for all. More than three decades since the last male professional footballer in this country felt comfortable enough to do so suggests an ongoing culture of homophobia in football that is woefully out of step with modern times.

“The Committee has previously called for changes to the Football Related Offenses Act to make homophobic abuse a criminal offence. Jake’s brave act may now be a turning point for game makers and provide a new catalyst to eliminate the prejudice faced by LGBT people. people on the field and in the stands. »