As a player, I always believed in the sanctity of the group: if you went against the majority in the locker room, if you went against what they believed was right, then they were very, very hard on you.
Ask my Everton teammate, who refused to join our Pride campaign because it went against his beliefs. I said to him: “You’re totally out of line. This cause is much bigger than you.”
Other players agreed, but they didn’t want to make waves. I was always more frank: I told the player privately and I told him in front of the group.
It’s impossible for 25 people to agree on everything, of course. But a team is a family. And that means we all have to row in the same direction.
Unfortunately, even the best teams can be mired in divisions. Take the U.S. women’s team, which kicks off its Olympic campaign against Zambia on Thursday.
Midfielder Korbin Albert was controversially selected for the U.S. women’s Olympic roster
DailyMail.com columnist Tim Howard
After midfielder Korbin Albert shared anti-LGBTQ posts on social media, she was publicly criticized by her teammates and booed by her fans.
But new coach Emma Hayes has stood by the 20-year-old, ignoring the negative fan reaction and choosing her for the Olympic roster. It’s a big decision that comes with big risks.
But is it the right one? Well, my opinion has changed recently, thanks to Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes.
The Kansas City Chiefs faced a brewing scandal earlier this offseason when kicker Harrison Butker gave a controversial commencement speech, telling women that one of their most important roles in life will be that of “homemaker.”
It caused a scandal and put his Chiefs teammates and coaches in a very difficult position.
I thought Butker had crossed the line, and if he was in my locker room, I would have told him that. I still think, if I have a stance and it’s the right stance and you don’t take it, I’m going to be disappointed. But Mahomes and Kelce really opened my eyes.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce spoke about their Chiefs teammate Harrison Butker
The Kansas City kicker faced fierce backlash earlier this year after a commencement speech.
They are leaders of that team and they argued that we live in a world where not everyone agrees. But we support each other as a family and try to understand where each other is coming from, even if we don’t agree. That’s a lot more tolerant than I would have been.
But now I see the other side. Now I’m not so stupid as to think that my opinion is the only one that matters. Now I know that you have to listen. You have to have conversations.
So if I was on the U.S. women’s national team and Albert was in my locker room, I wouldn’t be so intransigent. I wouldn’t feel like my voice has to be heard and that there has to be only one way of thinking. I look at how a great team like the Chiefs stood up to Butker and I realize that I was wrong.
Albert has apologized for her social media posts, but that doesn’t mean she’s radically changed: she was raised a certain way, her beliefs are important to her, and those feelings are valid.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder apologized for sharing anti-LGBTQ posts on social media
The problem is that they clash with the core values of a U.S. women’s team that has been on the front lines, fighting for the LGBT community, raising awareness and doing so much good. You can imagine how painful it is when one of their own doesn’t share those beliefs.
That would put a strain on my relationship with the player, both on the training ground and on the pitch. But it is essential to remember one thing: you have to live with these people every day, you spend more time with them than with your family.
So it’s up to Hayes and her players to find other common ground to hold on to. That means having serious conversations. That requires the more experienced players to say, “We don’t agree,” and that’s hard because we’re so passionate about this. But there has to be a defining moment and an olive branch.
Fortunately, in soccer, as in life, something always comes up. There will be another tough time for the U.S. women’s team and maybe Albert and her teammates will agree on that. I’ve been through it and they’ll find something to bring them back together.
Albert, 20, has been booed by USWNT fans and publicly criticized by some teammates.
New US coach Emma Hayes (pictured) ignored the noise and selected Albert for Paris
At Everton, my teammate listened to me and respectfully declined to join the Pride campaign. But our desire to fight for the badge became a common cause that helped us overcome those disagreements. However, fans don’t forget so easily and it’s hard to feel sympathy for Albert.
Yes, he now has a target on his back. Yes, he has more pressure to perform, but that is his own fault. As athletes, we have the choice to speak up or remain silent, but we must understand that if we choose to take a stand, we will be scrutinized and even ridiculed.
Hayes knows this. She knows Albert’s choice could affect the dynamic and culture of her team. She knows that anything less than winning gold will be considered a failure and that if the team is beset by infighting, her decision will be the reason. But she thought it was worth it. Hayes is a winner who understands the scrutiny of the top jobs in football.
It is important that he makes a mark in his first major tournament. He has already shown that he does not shy away from difficult decisions.