We know we will have to speak out on Qatar. But we still need to learn about it
Coady keen to deal with tough issues as part of a new breed of socially aware players
CONOR COADY was a flying winger once. A winger, anyway, possibly less of the flying. What he wasn’t though was a proper rugby league player. Which is awkward, as he was born and raised in St Helen’s, rugby league’s heartland. It turns out he never showed any talent for the sport.
‘You’re joking, aren’t you? I’m a big softy, mate,’ he exclaims when asked about his ambitions in that department. There may be a few Premier League centre forwards who wish to take issue with that.
He did, however, play at school, albeit unenthusiastically. ‘I was on the wing, even though I wasn’t quick. I was running out of the way! But I’ve got some friends who play with Saints. It was a rugby league school, I’m mad into rugby league, I love watching.’
Watching, it seems, is more enjoyable than playing. As such, Friday night team meetings at the hotel the night before matches prove a problem, not least because of the bemused looks of Wolves teammates Raul Jimenez, Hwang Heechan and Ruben Neves when the TV channel changes to Wigan v St Helens. At least today’s game at Everton means he was at home to watch the live TV match on Friday night between St Helens and Warrington.
Coady would be at home at a St Helens match, literally and figuratively. Down to earth, there is not much side to the Wolves captain. Steve Holland, the England coach, called him ‘player of the tournament’ at Euro 2020, because during England’s run to the final he remained the best trainer and one of the key leaders, even though he never played. He talks a thousand words a minute and does not duck questions. He just tends to say what he feels is right.
Recently, he picked up an award for being an LGBT ally after speaking out in favour of a Rainbow Laces campaign to promote diversity in football. He says he is a little embarrassed to be feted when all he did, in his eyes, was say something anyone would do to make those who might feel outsiders in football welcome.
But in reality the machismo in male-football dressing rooms makes it hard to be gay, so Coady speaking out was important.
‘When I’ve been asked these questions, and you mention LGBT, I would always answer the way I believe and the way I expect anybody to answer,’ he says. ‘I understand that’s probably not how the world works but I’d answer just being honest and saying what I think.
‘I’m in such a privileged role in that I play football every day, but why can’t everybody enjoy what I do every single day? It’s an incredible sport which brings people together. I don’t understand why other people wouldn’t look at it like that?’
It seems simple but it gets complicated these days. Promote vaccines, as Coady did, and you invite a pile-on from anti-vaxxers. ‘I know people have their own opinions on different situations but I trust our doctors with my life,’ he says. ‘I wasn’t trying to do anything, it was on behalf of the club. The club wanted us all to do it and we all bought into that as our doctor told us so much about it. We all thought it was important as a football club, especially for the community around here and this city.’
And what about the wrath of antivaxxers? He just smiles. ‘Social media is a big part of life but it’s how you take it. I don’t go on and check social media. If someone pops up, that’s how it is, but I don’t check. I take it with a pinch of salt.’ Equally, taking a knee with England to express solidarity with team-mates who have been racially abused would seem straightforward. But some would use that as a stick to beat players with because they have yet to speak out against Qatar, perpetrator of numerous human rights abuses and hosts of November’s World Cup. Later this month the England squad will convene at St George’s Park and discuss what ought to be said about Qatar. Ten years ago it would have been inconceivable that England footballers would have a position on issues such as this. Now, it seems normal. ‘That situation is something we all need to learn about,’ says Coady. ‘Discover our own opinions. It’s not something we know too much about. Obviously, we’ve seen things in the news but we hadn’t qualified for the World Cup at the time so it was a hard one for us to speak about, we didn’t want to speak about things that we’re not at. The time will come when we do needto learn more on it and then obviously the boys will develop their own positions.’
Some feel it is unfair that a 29-year-old footballer like Coady should have a developed opinion on Middle East human rights but Coady is happy to take the questions. ‘I don’t think it’s unfair to ask because the majority of the lads in England and in the Premier League are doing such good work and because of the work they are doing, this comes with the territory.
‘Like Marcus Rashford, who does incredible work. I’m good mates with Tyrone Mings at Villa who does incredible work. Raheem Sterling does incredible work — I think with that work they are doing, that brings this sort of question to the door and that’s how it is.
‘Those lads and myself will approach it like we always have. We’ll be honest and open and try to help as much as we can.
‘People probably look at it and go: “Why did they have an opinion, why have they got to have an opinion?” It’s not an opinion.
‘We’re just trying to help and if we can, we’ll do that.
‘At the end of the day, we’re only human beings and we can do as much as we can, we do what we can to try to help as many people as we possibly can. But we’re fooballers. We’re here to play football and if anything comes of that where we can help, we will.’
Ah, the football. It is easy to forget these days amid the graver topics being discussed which directly impact the game. But quietly Wolves have transitioned from the Nuno Espirito Santo regime to Bruno Lage and seemingly emerged stronger, a club once again with European ambitions.
‘I don’t mean this to sound bad, but new voices in your head and new way of doing things, a new mentality is massive at times,’ says Coady, who also acknowledges he would not be an England defender without Nuno’s belief in him.
‘When Bruno first came in, he excited everybody. It was attacking football, on the front foot, trying to get into the box by any means possible. That’s what we’re trying to do. When you hear those things as a player, it does excite you.’
What is extraordinary is to talk to current England players and feel their unadulterated enthusiasm for international weeks, when the likes of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher tell you how the squad in their day split into club factions and, at times, playing for England felt more duty than honour.
‘When you go, you’re excited to go,’ says Coady. ‘You can’t wait for international breaks. It’s such an exciting time for the players to meet up and build on what we’ve done in the last couple of years.
‘The feeling is like you’re going there with mates to play footy. ‘
I don’t go on and check social media. I take it with a pinch of salt.